Still Time to register for June 9 Election in Georgia

There is still time to register to vote in the June 9 Primary Election in Georgia.  Due to COVID-19, the election was postponed and Rabun County Elections Supervisor Tammy Whitmire says the easiest way to make your voice be heard is through absentee voting this year.  “Well, the General Primary Election has been moved to June 9, so mailed ballots are already going out.  As of today, we have mailed out 3,602 of those and have gotten back 479.  So, I want to encourage people to use absentee ballots by mail as a good choice to vote in this election and it’s not too late you can ask for those ballots to be mailed out to you all the way up to June 5.  The earlier that you do it, the more time you are going to have to turn around and get that ballot back to us, which has to be returned by June 9.  But we are going to try to do early voting.  As of right now, the state says that is going to open up on May 18, and go through June 5.  The office hours will be 8:30am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.  The office will be closed for Memorial Day, which is Monday, May 25.  We will also have a Saturday voting on May 30, from 9am to 4pm.”  The voter registration deadline is May 11, 2020.  Whitmire tells how to request an absentee ballot.  “You can go online and print off your application at the Secretary of State’s website, but the easiest way is to just call me here at the office so that I can get that in the mail to you or send it to you by email.  The phone number here is 706-782-1878.”  Expect to wait if you plan to vote in person, adds Whitmire.  “Well, the office is still under social distancing, so that means it will be six feet between each other.  We will only have one voter come into the office at a time, so plan on a longer wait time if you decide to vote in person and you will be having to stand outside.  So, remember to bring an umbrella in case of rain or for shade.  But you will come into the office, one at a time, we will be providing pins for everybody so that we do not cross-contaminate anything.  Just understand the ballots are long so it is going to take a little while to vote and only one person will be allowed to come into the office.”  A box has been added to help collect absentee ballots, concludes Whitmire.  “The office has installed a ballot drop off box that is located in front of the office.  So, therefore if you want to just walk that ballot back in you can do that.  It is under security so it is a good way to get the ballot back to the office.  It is right out in front of the door and you can just drop it in there any time.”  The Rabun County Board of Elections and Registration Office is located at 18 Old Raco High Drive, Suite 105, in Clayton.