Fulton 2021 elections: Nearly 18K ballots cast so far

(AJC file)

Credit: Ben Gray / Special for AJC

Credit: Ben Gray / Special for AJC

(AJC file)

Fulton County data shows that, through Monday, just under 18,000 people had voted so far this cycle.

This election season features a hot Atlanta mayoral race and progressives challenging Atlanta City Council incumbents, but in addition to the other municipal races there are also countywide issues like a T-SPLOST vote. There are nearly 800,000 active voters in Fulton.

About 3,000 Fulton residents voted the first day polls opened, according to county data. Since then, about 14,000 have voted either in-person, by mail or via drop box.

So far, the county reported, 87 ballots have been placed in the county’s eight drop boxes — nearly fives times fewer boxes than during last year’s election because of the many rules changed by Senate Bill 202, which was passed by Georgia’s Republican-controlled General Assembly.

The early voting precinct that had tallied the most votes as of Monday was the C.T. Martin Natatorium in southern Fulton. Politicos are limited when it comes to using early voting data as a measuring stick because anyone can cast a ballot at any precinct — regardless of their assigned polling place — during early voting.

Data shows county workers had processed about 5,500 of the roughly 6,550 absentee-by-mail ballot applications received through Monday.

Fulton elections head Richard Barron said last week mailed ballots have sometimes taken up to nine days to get around the county. Barron told elections board members there were minimal issues so far with early voting.

Barron and his staff will be under extra scrutiny this cycle because the state is conducting an investigation that could lead to a temporary takeover of county elections management under provisions from Senate Bill 202.

He said he expects there will be 257 locations receiving votes on Election Day, Nov. 2.

For more about voting in Fulton, visit: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/services/voting-and-elections.

Credit: WSBTV Videos