Qualifying for Albany mayor, three City Commission seats begins on Aug. 21

ALBANY — After a busy 2022 election year when most of the state’s elected officials, including the governor and other constitutional officers, were on the ballot, this year will see a much pared down number of candidates running for office.

But as the saying goes, local government is “where the rubber meets the road,” and for Albanians the mayor and three city commission positions are up for election in November.

Qualifying begins on Aug. 21 and ends on Aug. 25. Hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day during the qualifying period.

Candidates for mayor will be required to pay a $750 qualifying fee, while the qualifying fee for commission Wards I, IV and VI is $450.

Incumbents in those positions are Mayor Bo Dorough, Ward I Commissioner Jon Howard, Ward IV Commissioner Chad Warbington and Ward VI Commissioner Demetrius Young.

The transportation special-purpose local-option sales tax will be on the ballot countywide.

For the municipal elections, there will be two mandatory Saturday voting days during the two-week advance voting period, a change made by the state from previous elections, Dougherty County Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson said Wednesday.

Without a president or governor’s race on the ballot, there often is not as much drawing power in elections for municipal offices and tax initiative questions.

To boost the number who show up at the polls, the Dougherty County Board of Registration and Elections is working on ways to increase turnout and make it more convenient for voters at the polls.

“We’re trying to work with various organizations to work on turnout, because in the past it hasn’t been good,” Nickerson said. “The board is going to request funding so the (Albany) Civic Center can be the site of early voting for this election. With the law change, voters will have two Saturdays.”

The municipal election and T-SPLOST referendum are scheduled for Nov. 7. If a runoff is necessary for one or more city races, it would be held on Dec. 5.

The T-SPLOST is a countywide 1% tax that helps fund transportation-related projects in the city of Albany and Dougherty County.

After the COVID-19 pandemic struck, some poll workers pulled out of working elections, a trend that was seen not just in Dougherty and Lee counties but across the country.

The Dougherty County office is still seeking volunteers to ensure adequate staffing for this year and beyond. And planning is under way for the busy 2024 election season.

“We need tech people who are able to use computers,” Nickerson said. “As we also move forward, we want to plan, but we also want to make sure we have enough staff for this year.”

File Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f714026fc83d6150ab9a4350b4169940?s=100&d=mm&r=g