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Updated Election and Census News
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September 2, 2020
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The General Election is 62 days away!
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
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Labor Day is the traditional start of the election season
leading to the General Election in November. This year, there are many fast moving parts and changes, but it is critical to make a voting plan NOW. Officials are expecting 2.5 million Georgians to vote in person (as compared to 800,000 in person for the June 9 Primary Election). My friends and I are focused on the November 3 results and have some advice for voters: Vote absentee as soon as possible or vote early in person beginning October 12.
VOTE ABSENTEE: The Secretary of State has a new online portal to apply for an absentee ballot. After you fill this out, your ballot will be mailed to you. The portal can be hard to locate, so click HERE. You should see this page:
Note: If you live in former Georgia Congressman John Lewis' 5th U.S. House District as I do, there is a place on the portal to request a ballot for the September 29th Special Election to fill Lewis' unexpired term. Sample Ballot
Because of uncertainties about timely delivery by the U.S. Postal Service, if you are able to do so, I recommend dropping off your completed absentee ballot at a designated drop box location. Dekalb County lists the following drop box locations now. Others may be added.
- Brookhaven City Hall - 4362 Peachtree Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319
- Sterling at Candler Village - 2536 Mellville Ave, Decatur, GA 30032
- Voter Registration Office - 4380 Memorial Dr., Decatur, GA 30032 (3 drop boxes)
The process can be confusing. If you qualified to receive absentee ballots for all 2020 elections and checked the box on your June 9 absentee ballot application, you should receive your November ballot in the mail. You can determine your ballot status at this link: My Voter Page.
Also, DeKalb County plans to mail absentee ballot request forms to all registered voters in the county, so you may receive that even after using the portal. Once you complete and return an absentee ballot, do not fill out another.
VOTE EARLY IN PERSON: Early voting begins on October 12. DeKalb County will release an updated list of early voting locations, and I will keep you posted.
NOT REGISTERED? It's not too late! Go HERE.
WANT TO BE A POLL WORKER? Sign up for DeKalb HERE.
BREAKING NEWS AND SURVEY QUESTION:
New Court Decision Regarding Absentee Ballots
This week federal Judge Eleanor Ross ruled that Georgia absentee ballots that are postmarked on election day and received by the election office within three days should be counted. Eighteen other states allow ballots postmarked on election day to be counted, and the entities counting the votes are granted between three and seven days to receive the ballots---3 to 7 days. The SOS opposes this decision and will appeal.
What do you think? Please click HERE to answer our survey.
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Data collection for the U.S. 2020 Census ends on September 30. Georgia currently ranks almost last in responses, with a total of 74%, compared to the national response rate of 83.2%. So far, DeKalb County's response rate is only 62.5%.
Have you completed the census? If not, please go HERE to complete it online OR call 844-330-2020 OR fill out and return the official U.S. Census Bureau mail you have received.
Why is the census important? It ensures accurate representation for districts at both the state and federal level. The number of Georgians counted in the census also helps direct federal funding to local communities for health care, emergency and disaster response, education and infrastructure. For demographic purposes, large and small businesses may also base their future planning on the census results.
The Governor's Complete Count Committee (CCC) and his nonpartisan initiative called "Every. One. Counts." have been working to ensure that every Georgia resident is counted.
For more information on Georgia's participation in the census, please visit HERE or follow @gacensus2020 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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