General Primary, Nonpartisan and Special Runoff Election [July 22]

To see your sample ballot, go to:
http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/LoginPage.aspx

Info for May 20 election

Neighbor Jo Ann sends us this link to DeKalb County's Voter Registration and Elections site:

http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/CurrentElectionInfo.html

which includes early voting sites, qualified candidates (non-partisan and Democrat), sample ballots  and a link to the  generating voter-specific ballots).

The following precinct changes affect nearby residents:

NORTH DECATUR moved to North Decatur Presbyterian Church (4/11/13)
Relocation of all voters from North Decatur at Scott Boulevard Baptist Church to
North Decatur Presbyterian Center due to sale of church.

MEDLOCK moved to International Community School (4/11/13)
Relocation of all voters from Medlock temporary location at North Decatur
Presbyterian Church to International Community School.

2014 Voter's Guide

via http://www.lwvga.org/2014voterguide.html

"The League of Women Voters of Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV are pleased to once again partner in producing the2014 Georgia Voter Guide , the most comprehensive guide for voters to learn about candidates for elected office. The 2014 Online Voter Guide is a non-partisan resource for voters in Georgia.  

The League, the AJC, and WSB-TV do not endorse candidates and thoroughly believe that voters should judge candidates based on their own merits, ideas and platform. We work very hard to provide an intelligent, equitable forum where that can occur."

The voter's guide can be accessed at http://c3.thevoterguide.org/v/ajc14/build.do

Know your candidates: forum and fair [Apr 27]

The Civic Association Network (CAN) Candidates Fair + Forums is this Sunday (April 27), 1:30-5:30pm, at the Thalia N. Carlos Hellenic Community Center, 2500 Clairmont Rd, Atlanta 30329.

THE FAIR:  Wander among candidates grouped by office-sought.  Pick up their literature; get a sense of the candidates.  Find out who's expected at http://www.can-dk.org/candidates-fair-forums/can-fair-forums---response-list

THE FORUMS:  Two panel discussions are planned for the other end of the ballroom:
1:45pm.   COUNTY GOVERNANCE, featuring current and former commissioners, moderated by Commissioner Kathie Gannon.
3:00pm.   THE FUTURE OF CITYHOOD IN DEKALB, featuring local speakers, some who think cityhood is essential, others who are not so sure.

CAN: Candidates' Fair [Apr 27]

The "summer election" is happening on May 20. Please review the flyer below for information about what is at stake. Note that the voter registration deadline is April 21.

SAMPLE BALLOTS: http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/CurrentElectionInfo.html. Note that these countywide sample ballots will contain districts and municipalities that will not apply to every individual.

ADVANCE VOTING INFO: http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/Voter/pdf/GPAdvanceVotingSitesTimes.pdf

Click to enlarge.

Elections: Vote on November 6

Image courtesy of North DeKalb Mall's Scarecrow Exhibit,
running through Nov. 5.

Always vote for principle, 

though you may vote alone, 

and you may cherish the sweetest reflection 

that your vote is never lost.  

                                 - John Quincy Adams

From the GA Secretary of State's Office:

- info on voting on election day

- your ballot

- our polling place is

NORTH DECATUR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

611 MEDLOCK ROAD

DECATUR, GA 30033 

Election Day precinct hours are 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

General election voting registration deadline is Oct. 9

As reported by DeKalb Neighbor,

Those intent on voting on election day must be registered by Oct. 9. Early in-person voting begins Oct. 15. ... Those wishing to make any changes via mail must submit required documentation postmarked Oct. 9 at the latest. Residents can register to vote at the board’s office at 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

For all information relating to voting, visit the State of Georgia's Elections Page.

T-SPLOST defeated

The T-SPLOST vote was defeated across all ten counties that voted on it. In DeKalb, the vote was 52% against and 48% in favor. The vote sought a 1% sales tax over 10 years to focus on transportation projects around the metro Atlanta area. Detractors argued it didn't sufficiently address their given concerns (traffic vs. transit), that certain regions were underserved, and questioned if a 1% tax is the best way to address local transportation problems.

A team of AJC reporters sums up both the election's results and behind-the-scenes tensions leading to the T-SPLOST vote:

"Kasim Reed, who fought years for the referendum as a legislator and as Atlanta mayor, rallied supporters gathered at a hotel in downtown Atlanta. "The voters have decided," Reed said. "But tomorrow I'm going to wake up and work just as hard to change their minds." 

Gov. Nathan Deal's office told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he would now take a central role in transportation planning for the state's metro areas, and he would not support a sequel to Tuesday's referendum. . . ."

"Re-playing 40 years of Atlanta history, controversy built instantly around the proposed expansion of mass transit. Some loved it, some hated it. ... Deeper insecurities were at play as well. A poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last year found that 42 percent of respondents believed new mass transit brings crime." Continue reading @ AJC.

Jim Galloway at the AJC reports on what the Governor's above comment means:

"... traffic planners in regions across the state will be quickly asked to resubmit lists of road and rail proposals that require state and federal funding – figuring in an 8 percent decrease in federal funding. The governor has veto power over each list."

"The governor will not move forward without the consent GDOT,” Riley said – very carefully. Deal will court approval from the DOT board, but he intends to keep the initiative. The governor recently appointed a trusted aide, Toby Carr, as the DOT’s planning director, giving him another layer of control over what transportation projects are funded. 

So the Atlanta Regional Commission will soon have to clear its wish lists with the governor. ARC Chairman Tad Leithead said he’ll be happy to do so. “I think the entire state would welcome anything the governor does to keep transportation moving,” he said."

Local election results

In addition to the T-SPLOST vote, other races were closely watched in our neighborhood. Commissioner Kathie Gannon was re-elected and so were Burrell Ellis (CEO) and Claudia Lawson (tax commissioner).  For Board of Education elections results, see below. All images courtesy of the AJC.

Image courtesy of the AJC.

And on a topic near and dear to our neighborhood: a non-binding referendum on whether the county should allow cell phone towers to be built on school property drew a clear answer:

Image courtesy of the AJC.

Sunday alcohol sales vote, DeKalb County (oh, and Super Tuesday) [Mar 6]

Update: Unincorporated DeKalb voted YES, now we wait for the County to announce the effective date (AJC says: May 1).

As to the primary, it went this way [with 96% of precincts reporting]: Newt Gingrich (43%) Mitt Romney (26%), Rick Santorum (26%) and Ron Paul (6%) with other candidates in the ballot getting ~1% each.

Original post:

A quick reminder that tuesday is "Super Tuesday" of presidential primary fame. We are also having a special election on whether DeKalb County should allow Sunday alcohol sales.

As a reminder, Georgia's is an open primary and the voter may request a ballot for any party. The alcohol sales vote appears in all ballots, as seen in the samples below; click either sample to enlarge.

If voted at Medlock Elementary you will more than likely now vote at North Decatur Presbyterian Church (611 Medlock Road), for the year 2011. A new polling place will be permanently assigned and announced after the redistricting decisions are made, in time for the 2012 elections.

E-SPLOST vote [Nov. 8]

On his website, Commissioner Rader reminds us about the polling location change:

MEDLOCK ELEM moved to North Decatur Presbyterian Church (8/11/11)
Relocation of voters from Medlock Elementary School to North Decatur Presbyterian Center for 2011 only due to closing of Medlock Elementary.

You can confirm your polling place via http://www.dekalbvotes.com, or by calling 404-298-4020.

The images below are courtesy of the My Voter Page (Georgia Secretary of State's Office).

Voting location: North Decatur Presbyterian Church, 611 Medlock Rd, Decatur, GA 30033

Sample Ballot.
We are only voting on one measure: the continuation of  a special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST).

November 8 Election: has your polling place changed?

From Sharon...

Just a reminder that there will be an election on November 8, 2011.

Some of the issues we will vote on are:

• the Education SPLOST only (since we are in unincorporated Dekalb)
• DeKalb County School Board members
• a transportation SPLOST
• we will vote on whatever representative elections are needed in 2012.
• they are still discussing the Sunday sale of alcohol so that may be added to the ballot at some point.

The voter registration deadline is October 11, 2011

The folks at Dekalb Voter Registration and Election offices are very helpful. Their website at http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/voter/default.html has not been updated as far as ballot content but it has links to other information such as voter registration.

New precinct cards have been mailed (some neighbors received theirs today, marked "NOTE: PRECINCT CHANGE"). If voted at Medlock Elementary you will more than likely now vote at North Decatur Presbyterian Church (611 Medlock Road), for the year 2011. A new polling place will be permanently assigned and announced after the redistricting decisions are made, in time for the 2012 elections.