May 24 is Election Day for the primary elections
File photo by Jonathan Phillips
DeKalb County, GA — Tuesday, May 24, is Election Day for the primary elections. Polls will be open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There are several races up for election this year, including statewide races – like the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state – and local elections – such as the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and the DeKalb County Board of Education – and congressional seats up for election.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO THE POLLS: The Decaturish.com and Tuckerobserver.com Elections Guide is available for free to all readers. To read the e-edition version, click here. To read the PDF version, click here. Please support our coverage by becoming a paying subscriber. To sign up, visit supportmylocalnews.com. This special e-edition features candidates running for public office in state, federal and local races.
Voters can check their precinct and see their sample ballot here.
Provisional ballots have changed. If a voter tries to vote at a different precinct, their vote will not count unless it is after 5 p.m. on Election Day. Voters should double-check their precinct before going to the polls.
Approximately 56,500 voters in DeKalb will be impacted by recent redistricting efforts that have changed their Election Day voting precincts, according to a press release.
Absentee ballots must be returned to a drop box by 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections office, 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur.
Voters age 75 and older, or those with a physical disability, should go to the front of the line and ask a poll worker for assistance.
Individuals must be 18 or older, and registered to vote to cast their ballot in the primary elections.
Georgia law requires photo identification when voting, either in person or absentee. You will need to bring one of the following forms of identification, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office:
– Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
– A Georgia Driver’s License, even if expired
– Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
– Valid U.S. passport ID
– Valid U.S. military photo ID
– Valid tribal photo ID
City of Atlanta residents will vote on three transportation special purpose local option sales and use tax, and bond questions on the May 24 ballot.
The questions are:
Q: 1 “Shall an additional 0.4 percent sales and use tax be collected in the City of Atlanta for a period of time not to exceed 5 years for the purpose of transportation improvements and congestion reduction?”
TSPLOST is a sales tax used to fund capital projects including, roads, sidewalks, bridges and bike paths. The 0.4% increase in sales tax was approved by voters in 2015 and expired in March 2022. If the referendum passes, the city of Atlanta anticipates receiving $300 million in taxes to address transportation needs, including adding new sidewalks, paving streets, repairing broken sidewalks and adding bike or micro-mobility lanes.
Q: 2 General Obligation Public Improvement Bond Referendum for Roads, Sidewalks, Pathways, Trails and Related Transportation, Park and Playground Improvements?
General obligation bonds are long-term borrowing tools. This infrastructure bond would not exceed $193 million to help finance projects in the city of Atlanta.
Q: 3 General Obligation Public Improvement Bond Referendum for Public Safety, Parks and Recreational Facilities?
This question is about another general obligation bond, not to exceed $213 million, to help finance parks and emergency services projects in the city of Atlanta.
All Decaturish.com elections coverage can be found at Decaturishvotes.com
Writer Logan C. Ritchie contributed to this article.
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