Polls Open Tuesday For General Election
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Voters across the state will head to the polls on Tuesday, November 4, to cast their ballots for their choice in candidates for municipal elections and the state Public Service Commission (PSC), and to voice their beliefs on the implementation of the Redevelopment Powers Law in Toombs County.
The cities of Alamo and Lyons have local municipal offices on the ballot, as several city council seats are up for grabs. In Alamo, there are three seats up for election on the City Council, and four individuals are vying for them – Incumbent Councilman Geoffrey Villegas, Incumbent Councilwoman Patricia Woodard, Angelia Wright Johnson, and Ty’Quez Smith. The three individuals receiving the most votes will fill the seats.
In Lyons, candidates are facing off for the chance to represent Wards 1 and 2 on the City Council. Three candidates – incumbent City Councilman Tracy Johnson, former City Councilman Larry Michael Griggers, and James Shell – are on the ballot for the Ward 1 seat of the Lyons City Council, while incumbent City Councilwoman Cathy Benton faces former City Councilwoman Sonja Eason for the Ward 2 seat. Voters can also cast their ballots for the Georgia Public Service Commission District 2 and
District 3 seats. The Public Service Commission regulates essential public utility services in the state, such as electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications. Their duties include setting service rates, establishing and enforcing service quality standards, and overseeing pipeline safety. Overall, the PSC is tasked with trying to balance the needs of the consumers with the needs for financial viability of the utility companies to ensure fair and efficient prices and services.
Incumbent PSC Commissioner Tim Echols (R) is facing Alicia Johnson (D) for the District 2 seat, which covers the eastern portion of the state, including the cities of Athens and Savannah.
Incumbent PSC Commissioner Fitz Johnson (R) and Peter Hubbard (D) are both vying for the District 3 seat, which covers most of the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Though these districts are limited to certain regions of Georgia, all Georgians have the opportunity to select their choice of candidates to serve on the Commission.
On Tuesday, Toombs County Citizens will have the opportunity to allow the county and city governments to have redevelopment powers, which could potentially bring new development into the community.
This question will appear on the ballot as follows: “Shall the Act to be approved which authorizes (Toombs County/Vidalia/ Lyons) to exercise all redevelopment powers allowed under the ‘Redevelopment Power Law’ as it may be amended from time to time.” This question may also appear twice on the ballot for citizens living in the city limits of Lyons or Vidalia, as it is asked once on behalf of Toombs County and once on behalf of the cities.
Polling Location Information Voters may go to their assigned precinct locations from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, to cast their ballots. To find out the location of your assigned precinct, call your local Board of Election office, or visit mvp.sos.ga.
