Judge rules Atlanta polls will remain open until 8 p.m.
Atlanta voters will have until 8 p.m. to make it to the polls on Election Day and cast their ballots for local races.
It’s an hour longer than planned. Fulton and DeKalb county polling locations were originally slated to close at 7 p.m. after guidance from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office advised that voting in the special election for the Public Service Commission was required by state law to end then.
In response, Atlanta filed a lawsuit against Fulton and DeKalb to keep polls open until 8 p.m.
Monday afternoon, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge ruled that all 81 city polling locations will stay open the extra hour, but voters who arrive between 7-8 p.m. won’t be allowed to vote in the special election and be required to cast provisional ballots.
Georgia Decides 2025
With nearly 1,000 municipal contests underway across Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is your trusted source for election coverage. Check back for results.
Top races: Polls have opened across Georgia. Here are the key races in the metro Atlanta area to watch.
What’s going on today: One extra hour. After a contentious battle, judge rules Atlanta polls will remain open until 8 p.m.
Early data: Most registered voters have yet to cast a ballot — only 8% of Georgians voted early and overall turnout is expected to remain light. Here’s who voted early in Atlanta’s municipal elections.
What to watch: Will it be a good night for Democrats? What could key races mean for 2026? 5 questions about Georgia’s elections.
The issues: The statewide Public Service Commission contest is likely the most closely watched race today among political experts and voters alike. Meet the candidates running for seats on the state’s powerful utility regulator.
Opinion: “You can talk about any issue, but you’ve got to be focused because you’re not the mayor, you’re not the City Council.” Candidates locked in a fierce fight to become Atlanta City Hall’s second-in-command.
How to vote: Find your polling site.
How to find results: Check them out here.
City of Atlanta Attorney Patrise Perkins-Hooker notified Atlanta City Council members of the ruling by email Monday afternoon.
Atlanta’s lawsuit cited “improper directions” from the secretary of state’s office to county officials that say polls “must close by 7:00 p.m.” because of the special election.
Fulton County’s election director sent an email to the secretary of state’s office in July, asking whether the special Public Service Commission election — which shares a ballot with the municipal races — would have an impact on the polls’ closing time, according to emails included in the lawsuit.
An elections attorney for the secretary of state advised county officials that state law mandates polls close by 7 p.m.
“This special election is not limited to a City of Atlanta municipal election; it is being held in conjunction with a statewide special General Election,” the attorney wrote. “Therefore, it is governed by the same legal provisions that apply to special General Elections under the Elections Code … and must adhere to the 7:00 p.m. closing time.”
But Atlanta officials argued that state law dictates that polls “shall remain open continuously until 8:00 p.m.” during city elections.
A spokesperson for the city said in a statement that even a one-hour difference “can provide critical flexibility so that no eligible voter is turned away while attempting to participate in our democratic process.”
“We are seeking an order to keep the polls open until 8 p.m. as dictated by state law to ensure that every Atlanta voter has fair and equal access to the ballot box,” they said.
Officials with Fulton and DeKalb counties did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
About the Author
Riley Bunch is a reporter on the local government team at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covering Atlanta City Hall. She covers the mayor and Atlanta City Council while also keeping an eye on the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
