Get Out the Vote

Voting time is here again and this is election is one of those nail biters, folks. Not only do we have a Governor’s race and a US Senate seat on the line, but all the statewide offices from Lieutenant Governor to School Superintendent as well as the entire US House delegation from Georgia and the entire Georgia General Assembly (House and Senate) are all on the ballot not to mention county commission races here in Gwinnett County. Of course that’s how it always is in these “non-Presidential year elections” or “off year” elections.

But the deal this time is that so many races are polling within the margin of error and in several it is looking like a run-off election is possible if not inevitable. You may have known that about the national races to determine which party controls the US Senate for the next 2 years. As many as eleven races for US Senate around the country are within the margin of error in many polls. That’s unheard of in an election cycle.

Often times Georgia is simply on the sidelines watching these crucial elections as a non-targeted non-competitive state. But no more - as you may have guessed by the ad wars Georgia is in play in this election. For the first time in years the statewide races and some local races are highly competitive. From who governs Georgia to which party controls the US Senate it really is ground zero here and every vote counts. Do your part. Make your voice heard and vote!!

Now, for those of you who haven’t voted yet (yep some folks have already done their part), there are multiple options and ways you can vote early.

The first and probably easiest option would be early voting. The process is the same as election day BUT the locations are different and not necessarily at your local precinct so check the locations and hours posted below. You can vote at any of the early voting locations in your county and not just the voting location closest to your home. .

Also, there’s absentee voting. It’s probably too late to mail in a request for an absentee ballot and wait for the Board of Elections to mail you a ballot but you can go to your county Board of Elections in your county and get one same day. Just make sure you mail it in in time if you do not have time to fill it out while you are there. The address for the Gwinnett County Board of Elections is listed below.

Then there is “In person Absentee voting” on Monday, November 3, Just go into your county during normal business hours and ask for an absentee ballot vote there arena turn it in. Again the address for the Gwinnett County Board of Elections is below.

Early Voting, Absentee Ballot pick up and In Person Absentee Voting Locations:

Absentee Balloting:

Gwinnett County Board of Elections 455 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045.

Early voting locations and hours:

Weekdays, 11:00am – 7:00pm

Bogan Park Community Recreation Center
Estimated wait time: 3-5 minutes - Updated 12:00pm
2723 North Bogan Road, Buford

Centerville Community Center
Estimated wait time: 15-20 minutes - Updated 12:00pm
3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville

Dacula Park Activity Building
Estimated wait time: No wait - Updated 12:00pm
2735 Auburn Avenue, Dacula

George Pierce Park Community Recreation Center
Estimated wait time: 15 minutes - Updated 12:00pm
55 Buford Highway, Suwanee

Lenora Park Activity Room – At the baseball concession stand
Estimated wait time: No wait - Updated 12:00pm
4515 Lenora Church Road, Snellville

Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center
Estimated wait time: 15 minutes - Updated 12:00pm
4651 Britt Road, Norcross

There is also of course voting on Election Day, November 4from 7am to 7pm. If you are in line when the polls close they will let you vote so remember that and don’t leave. You do need to go to your correct voting precinct on Election Day. If you don’t know your precinct location or want to verify it hasn’t changed since the last time you voted please, go to - http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/ to find out where your prescient is located. After that, it should also show you exactly where to go. If it doesn’t tell you, all of Gwinnett counties polling places can be found right here –

http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/static/departments/elections/pdf/2014_Election_Precincts.pdf

But. You must go to the right prescient or risk standing in line for nothing or having to cast a provisional ballot and go to the Board of Elections after Election Day to sort out where your exact voting location was.

As I said, this is a vital year for Georgia. We need to get out the vote, and make sure everyone is able to get to the polls. Tell your friends, family, teachers, doctors, and strangers, whoever to get out and vote.

Reposted from State Senator Curt Thompson’s blog (D-5th). He resides in Tucker, GA and is Chairman of the Special Judiciary Committee. Make sure to follow him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. His website is www.makingyourvoicecount.com