With Tuesday's primary finally here, Georgia voters will punctuate months of campaigning with deciding votes on several key issues and races.
Big issues
Most eyes will be on a proposed 1-cent sales tax for transportation, a binding vote with billions of dollars worth of regional projects at stake across Georgia. Voters in each of the state's 12 regions will decide whether to approve the sales tax to pay for the projects. In the metro Atlanta region, the tax is projected to raise about $7.2 billion over 10 years. Republicans and Democrats, however, both have several other nonbinding questions to ask of voters. Five questions will appear on the Republican ballot, including ones on ethics, abortion and gambling. Four questions will appear on Democrats' ballots, including ethics, charter schools and taxes.
Key metro Atlanta races
While the transportation tax is the big issue for most voters, there are plenty of important local races. Voters will cast ballots on whether to allow Sunday alcohol sales in unincorporated Cobb and south Fulton counties. In DeKalb County, residents will vote on whether the Brookhaven area becomes its own city. County commission chairmen in Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties are up for re-election, and there are heated races for sheriff in Fulton, Cherokee and Forsyth counties. Several incumbent state lawmakers also face primary challenges. The most watched in metro Atlanta is a challenge to Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock, by opponent Brandon Beach, president and CEO of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.
The basics
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Don't forget to bring photo identification, including a Georgia driver's license, valid U.S. passport or a valid U.S. military photo ID. To find individualized voting information, including precincts and sample ballots, log on to the Georgia secretary of state's website (www.sos.ga.gov) and click on "my voter page."
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