Runoff green light puts voting in sprint

The runoff between Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin is official, according to results of the Nov. 4 election certified by the Georgia secretary of state’s office Thursday.

The Senate race and other run-offs, including contests for the Georgia State Appeals Court and Public Service Commission-District 4, are set for Dec. 2.

Each county may have local runoffs as well.

Counties can begin early voting on Monday, according to Secretary of State Karen Handel. Some, however, will start later.

In DeKalb County, voters can vote Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the main elections office at 4380 Memorial Drive. The voting continues the following Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 24-26. No satellite locations will be open in DeKalb during early voting.

DeKalb County sent out its absentee ballot request to the printer on Thursday and does not expect to be able to mail out absentee ballots until near the end of next week, said DeKalb elections worker Mary Frances Weeks.

Gwinnett County will follow much the same pattern as DeKalb. Early voting will start at the main elections office at 455 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and will resume again Nov. 24-26. There will be no satellite voting locations open in Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County also sent off its absentee ballot to the printer on Thursday.

“Hallelujah,” said Gwinnett County spokesman Joe Sorenson. “There’s not going to be one mailed out until a test is done,” he said. Before the general election, Gwinnett mailed out about 19,000 flawed absentee ballots that could not be read by an optical scanner. The county will make sure to test the absentee ballots before mailing any out, Sorenson said.

Cobb County is ready for early voting Monday through Friday. Voters can cast ballots 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Board of Elections & Registration at 736 Whitlock Ave., west of the Marietta Square. Nov. 24-26, voters can go to five additional locations to cast ballots in Cobb County.

Fulton County election officials said early voting will begin Wednesday and continue through Friday. Voters may vote from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

Fulton County Government Center (downtown), 141 Pryor St.; North Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road; and South Service Center, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road.

Voting will continue at these locations Nov. 24-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Clayton County will have early voting 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 24-26 at six locations.

Voters can request an absentee ballot from their county registrar’s office through the close of business on Nov. 26.

All absentee ballots must be received by the county registrar by the close of the polls on the election day.

Photo identification is not required when voting by mail.

Given the short time before deadline, the secretary of state’s office urges voters choosing to vote by mail to submit their application as soon as possible and, upon receipt of the ballot, to return the ballot immediately in order to ensure its receipt by the deadline.