October 5 Last Day to Register to Vote in the November 3 General Election

Voting Deadlines

Monday, October 5

Last day to register to vote in the General Election

Monday, October 12-Friday, October 30

Early voting for General Election: visit local Board of Election offices to cast early ballots

Saturday, October 24

One day of Saturday voting, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, October 30

Absentee ballot request deadline

Tuesday, November 3

General Election Day

Tuesday, November 3

Absentee ballot submission deadline Voters can mail or deliver absentee ballots to: (in Toombs County) Board of Elections and Registrar’s Offi ce, 125 West Lincoln Avenue, Lyons; (in Montgomery County), to the Montgomery County Courthouse, 400 Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon; (in Wheeler County) the Registrar’s Office, Multipurpose Center, 16 West Forest Av- continued from page

enue, Alamo. Absentee ballots must be received no later than November 3, Election Day. They may be brought to voting precincts on Election Day. To avoid confusion and assist poll workers, persons who have requested and received absentee ballots but who have decided to vote in person are asked to bring their absentee ballots with them when they vote in person. For more voter information, visit: Georgia Secretary of State

Call 404-656-2871, or visit SOS website and select these topics: My Voter Page Register to Vote To request a ballot, visit: Ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov Voters who wish to cast absentee ballots are being asked not to procrastinate. The U.S. Postal Service is asking voters to allow 15 days for delivery each way.

For a list of state and federal posts in Georgia, visit: iVoterGuide.com Who is running for local posts in Toombs, Montgomery and Wheeler Counties?

City of Vidalia Nonpartisan Mayor’s Race: Gregory Johnson and Doug Roper Toombs County Commission, Post 1: Wendell Dixon, Republican, (incumbent) and Dr. Samuel Rayapati, Democrat Montgomery County Commission, District 3, Post 1: Ginger Morris, Republican, and Thadeus Holloway, Democrat. Wheeler County Sheriff: E.J. Bess, Democrat and Randy Rigdon, Republican, (incumbent). Wheeler County Coroner: The Rev. Dr. Marvin J Howard, Sr., Democrat, and Ted Mercer, Republican, (incumbent) Nonpartisan Alamo City Council: Phyllis Adams, Stephen Keen, Leigh Ricks, Patricia Woodard. General Voter Information

For those not already registered to vote in Georgia, or, if an address has changed, registration is required by the October 5 in order to vote in the November 3 general election. Voters who are unsure of their status can go online at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov to check their voting status. Voters can register to vote online at registertovote.sos. ga.gov if they already have a Georgia driver’s license number or a state-issued ID number. Voters can also fill out a paper voter registration application by printing it out from the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, or by picking up an application at post offices, libraries and county election offices. Paper registration applications must be returned or postmarked by October 5. These applications can be mailed or delivered to the county elections office. A driver’s license or the last four digits of the voter’s social security number are required to vote.

Proof of Georgia residency is required either when registering or voting for the first time. That proof can include a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or another government document that shows the resident’s name and address. Also, a photo identification is required before casting a ballot in person in Georgia.

The state’s photo ID law allows registered voters to show: • a state driver's license-

even if it’s expired

• any valid state or federal

government-issued photo ID (including a free ID card issued by the county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services) • a valid U.S. passport • a photo employee ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the federal government, state government or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state • a valid U.S. military

photo ID

• a valid tribal photo ID

For persons who do not have one of the six acceptable forms of photo identification noted above, the state of Georgia offers a free ID card which can be issued at any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services if the applicant has a current, valid ID photo.

To obtain a free voter identification card, the voter must provide a photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document which includes full legal name and date of birth; documentation which shows the voter’s date of birth; evidence that the applicant is a registered voter; and documentation showing the applicant's name and residential address.

Voter registration is primarily managed by county election offices, which then submit voter information to the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

When voters show up on Election Day or at early voting locations, election employees check the voter’s photo ID and the voter registration lists to verify that the voter is eligible to cast a ballot.

Voters may begin voting in person at early voting locations on the fourth Monday prior to an election date (October 12) at a designated early voting location in their county. Voters may not cast early votes on the Sunday or Monday prior to Election Day. Voters are not required to provide a reason for voting early in Georgia. When casting a vote in person, the voter must present a valid photo ID to cast their ballots.

Voting Precincts in Toombs, Montgomery and Wheeler Counties: Toombs County has five polling places: Vidalia Police Department, 302 East 1st Street, Vidalia; Southeastern Technical College Adult Literacy Building, 100 Brinson Street, Vidalia; Partin Park , 168 Minot Road, Lyons; Cedar Crossing, Community Center, 2926 Cedar Crossing Road; and, New Branch, 5163 Highway 178, Lyons. Montgomery County has seven polling places: Higgston City Hall, 310 James Street; Kibbee Fire Station, 3800 Thompson Pond Road; Tarrytown Fire Station, 501 Main Street, Tarrytown; Uvalda Community Center, 830 West Main Street, Uvalda; Alston City Hall, 5177 Georgia Highway 135; Old Rosenwald School, 324 North Pine Street, Ailiey; and the Adult Literacy Center, 251 Richardson Street in Mount Vernon.

Wheeler County has two polling places: the Multipurpose Center, 16 West Forest Avenue, Alamo; and the Civic Center, Northwest Third Avenue, Glenwood.