The runoff locally for the District 1 and District 3 County Commission seats continues this morning as the offices are opening as this story publishes, and hundreds have already come out to vote.
Polk County as of the close of business Monday at 200 ballots cast between Cedartown and Rockmart’s early voting precincts, and another 200+ ballots by mail requested. 74 were sent out, and 74 were returned as of this posting.
Figures for Tuesday voting weren’t yet posted at the time of writing this update, but are expected on Wednesday morning. When available, those will be updated.
Early voting concludes on Friday for this runoff, which is set for June 18 as Election Day in the county.
The two seats still up for a decision by the voters are the County Commission District 1 seat in a contest between incumbent Jordan Hubbard and challenger Michael Gravett. The two were the candidates with the most votes in a field of four in the May 21 primary.
They are being joined on the ballot for the runoff by the District 3 County Commission candidates who remained after a three-way race. Incumbent Ray Carter is being challenged by John Paschal in the GOP primary.
Both races when decided by the runoff will conclude what’s available for decision on the local ballot in 2024, as the Republican Party ballot takes up all the local races – or has for more than a decade in Polk County.
Democrats do have the option to vote in the runoff for the District 14 Congressional race, to see who will take on Marjorie Taylor Greene on the November ballot. That – along with some contested statewide positions and the Presidential race – will be what voters will decide this fall.
Voters in the runoff will want to note that when they cast their ballot, they must have already voted in the primary. Election officials provided the following examples to determine which ballot you can choose:
For example, if you voted a republican ballot in the May 21st General Primary Election, you may only vote on a republican ballot in the June 18th Runoff Election. Additionally, if you voted a democratic ballot in the May 21st General Primary Election, you may only vote on a democratic ballot in the June 18th Runoff Election.
If you did not vote at all or you voted a nonpartisan ballot in the May 21st General Primary Election, you may vote in either the republican or democratic June 18th Runoff election.
Early Voting will be available at both the Goodyear Civic Center located at 108 Prior Street Cedartown, GA. 30125 and the Rockmart Community Center located at 604 Goodyear Avenue Rockmart, Ga. 30153.
Hours today and tomorrow are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with extended hours on Friday.
