Early voting period for city runoff races begins

Early voting for the city runoff elections for mayor and Ward VI City Commission has started, elections officials say.

Turnout was surprisingly steady on the first day, elections officials say, given that runoff races traditionally have low voter turnout.

Only city residents who were registered voters prior to the October 11 cutoff date are eligible to vote in the runoff, regardless of whether they voted in the November general election, Dougherty County Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson said.

“There’s a myth out there that if you didn’t vote in the first go around, you can’t vote in a runoff and that isn’t true,” Nickerson said. “If you were registered by the cutoff date, it doesn’t matter if you voted in the general election or not, you can still vote in the runoff.”

For most voters, there is only one question on the ballot, and that’s the mayoral runoff between local business owner B.J. Fletcher and former commissioner Dorothy Hubbard.

For those voters who live in Ward VI, the runoff race between incumbent commissioner Tommie Postell and former Dougherty County commissioner Victor Edwards will also be on the ballot.

Those residents who live in the unincorporated areas of Dougherty County aren’t eligible to vote in the runoff.

The early voting period will end Friday at 5 p.m. And all 21 city precincts will open Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Those wishing to vote early must bring a picture ID to the second floor of the government center at 222 Pine Avenue in order to cast a ballot.