Type to search

Tucker leads DeKalb County in early voting

elections Tucker

Tucker leads DeKalb County in early voting

Georgia, Cindy, Jim and Nathan Brieske went to vote together in Tucker. It was Nathan’s first time voting.
Share

Tucker, GA — Early voting for the Nov. 2 election is coming to a close, and Tucker leads the county in voter turnout. As of Friday morning, 3,100 people voted early in Tucker. The total vote count in DeKalb County is 12,869.

Eight locations in DeKalb County opened on Oct. 12 for early voting, which will close on Oct. 29. DeKalb County residents are voting on an education SPLOST, a special tax that could provide more than $800 million to DeKalb County schools. In Tucker, the election includes a race for mayor and four City Council members.

Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library is averaging 172 voters per day. Compared to the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections office on Memorial Drive, Tucker’s turnout is the highest of any early voting location.

Tucker is also one of the few locations with an absentee ballot box.

Voters reported no wait times and COVID-19 protocols in place at Tucker Library.

Tucker resident Charisse J. Pelaez Walcott said she voted on Oct. 12, the first day of early voting in DeKalb County. Poll workers were taking temperatures and everyone was wearing a mask.

“I was the eighth vote cast,” said Walcott. “They could improve the process with some clearer distancing guidance, either marked on the floor or verbally. But other than that, it was smooth sailing. Very helpful and attentive volunteers.”

Walcott said she voted early to avoid being in a crowd without social distancing.

Cindy and Jim Brieske went to the polls with their son and daughter. Georgia Brieske, 20, is a junior at the University of Georgia and Nathan Brieske, 18, is a freshman at Berry College. They made a trip home to vote with their parents.

Georgia Brieske is a political science and communications major, enrolled in the Applied Politics program at UGA. She worked the polls last election, during the Senate runoff, with Vote Tripling PAC in DeKalb County. Georgia Brieske also interned at the city of Tucker in summer 2020.

When poll workers found out it was Nathan’s first time voting, the staff erupted with cheers and applause. Cindy said Nathan was a little embarrassed, but also excited and proud.

“We all agree that everyone should have a voice in their community and exercise their right to vote,” said Cindy.

“Municipal elections have a big impact on their citizens’ daily lives, so it’s exciting to see that the early in person voting numbers are so high in the young city of Tucker. We do want to remind all DeKalb voters that even if they don’t live in a city, they should be sure to come out and vote on the ESPLOST question on the ballot,” said Melissa Faye Manrow, president of the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County.

The Tucker Observer is a new community news website owned by Decaturish.comWe provide locally sourced news about Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain.

For more Tucker news, follow us on Facebook by clicking here. Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

Want the latest news from the Tucker Observer delivered to your inbox three times a week? Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter. 

To become a paying supporter of Tucker Observer, click here