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Qualifying for Nov. 2 city elections begins next week

Avondale Estates campaign coverage Decatur Metro ATL Trending

Qualifying for Nov. 2 city elections begins next week

A sign directs voters to the Oakhurst Baptist Church polling location in Decatur on Jan. 5, 2021. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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Decatur, GA — People interested in running for local offices in our community will be required to qualify beginning on Monday, Aug. 16.

The election will be Nov. 2. Early voting will begin on Oct. 12. The voter registration deadline for the upcoming city elections is Oct. 4. To register to vote, click here. All Decaturish elections coverage may be found at Decaturishvotes.com.

To see a list of important dates in the 2021 election year, click here.

Here is the qualifying information for the city of Decatur:

The seats on the ballot this year are:

– One City Commissioner from Election District 1, Post A

– One City Commissioner from Election District 2, Post A

– One Decatur Board of Education member from Election District 1, Post A

– One Decatur Board of Education member from Election District 2, Post A

– One Decatur Board of Education member from Election District at Large

To see a map of the City Commission and School Board districts, click here.

Each candidate will file notice of his or her candidacy and the appropriate affidavit in the office of the Election Superintendent at City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, Decatur, Georgia. The qualifying fee for City Commission office is $360.00 and the qualifying fee for Board of Education members is $35.00.

The opening dates for qualifying will start Monday, August 16, 2021 beginning at 8:30 A.M., and continuing until Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at 4:30 P.M. Payment of the qualifying fee may be made with cash, check or credit card.

The City of Decatur has elections in odd-numbered years. To qualify as a candidate in these elections you must meet the following requirements:

(1) Has resided in the city not less than one year immediately preceding or his/her election;

(2) Is a qualified voter in municipal elections for officers of the city; and

(3) Has not been convicted and sentenced for any violation of the criminal laws of Georgia involving moral turpitude, unless such person has received a full pardon or has all rights of citizenship restored.

All city commissioners shall continue to reside within the city and within their election district, if any, during their terms of office as city commissioners.

Here is qualifying information for the city of Avondale Estates:

All City Commission elections in Avondale Estates are at-large, meaning every resident gets to vote in every municipal election on the ballot. To see a map of the city limits, click here.

The terms of Commissioner Lionel Laratte and Commissioner Lisa Shortell expire at the end of this year. Those wishing to qualify for this election may file a notice of candidacy with City Clerk Gina Hill at City Hall, between 8:30 a.m. an 4:30 p.m. Monday, August 16 to Friday, August 20. The fee is $144. Candidates elected in November will serve four year terms beginning January 2022.

Per the City Charter, candidates must meet the following criteria.

– Be a resident of the City for a continuous period of 12 months prior to the start of the qualifying period

– Be a resident of the City during their period of service

–  Be registered and qualified to vote in municipal elections of the City

– Not have been convicted of a felony at the time of qualification or during the period of service

Election day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021 with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from October 13 to October 29 at 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. City Hall is not an early voting location. The last day to register to vote or change your address is October 4.

For more information contact Gina Hill at [email protected] or 404.294.5400.

Here is qualifying information for the city of Atlanta:

All city elected offices are on the ballot this year, including City Council and School Board. To see a map of voting districts in the city of Atlanta, click here. To see the city’s election brochure which includes job descriptions, qualifying dates and qualifying costs, click here.

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