Campaign signs are multiplying on the streets of Fayette County as Election Day gets closer. Potential voters can’t miss them, but how many people will actually go to the polls on Nov. 7? If recent trends continue, probably not many.
Election years that don’t involve state or national races have pretty low local turnout. Records provided by the Fayette County Board of Elections show the peaks and valleys of political participation over the last five years, and 2017 may be another dip year despite 77,837 registered voters in the county.
The 2012 U.S. presidential election brought out 58,828 Fayette voters, but a year later only 9,719 people came to the polls to decide a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. The 2014 election, which included the Georgia governor’s race, drew 42,303 Fayette voters. But the 2015 municipal elections drew only 5,118 voters. Turnout spiked again last fall when 60,435 voters came out for the presidential election.
Complicating matters this year is the fact that due to municipal races in Fayetteville, Peachtree City and Tyrone, some voters will have to go to one location to vote for mayoral and/or city council candidates but another location to vote regarding renewal of the county-wide Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Voters will need to visit two polling locations if they live in the Blackrock, Fayetteville East, Morning Creek, Sandy Creek, Whitewater, Banks, Willow Pond, Dogwood, Jeff Davis, Murphy and Rising Starr precincts.
The problem of low turnout has been noted by Mike King, who represents Post 2 on the City Council of Peachtree City. In 2015 he suggested changing municipal election cycles to even-numbered years to improve turnout and reduce the cost of holding elections. He said Peachtree City’s voter participation averages more than 80 percent during larger elections but only a “dismal” 20 percent in odd-numbered years.
“[T]he more elections we have, the propensity for some elections to lose importance simply exists,” King said. “Given the cost of some $70,000 for municipalities to hold an election, it stands to reason that we can certainly do a better job of spending taxpayer funds by combining as many elections as feasible.”
So, Fayette voters, what motivates you to go to the polls? How would you encourage more consistent participation? Tell us at communitynews@ajc.com by Tuesday. Comments may be used in print or online, and may be edited.
LAST WEEK: SHOULD ATLANTA WANT AMAZON HQ2?
Once again Amazon has made big news. The mega-retailer is looking for an additional North American headquarters location and by some accounts Atlanta is at the top of the list. Besides an estimated 50,000 high-paying jobs, $5 billion in construction costs and the power to attract more big development, the influx of so many people may have a negative affect on traffic, housing and public services. We asked readers their thoughts.
Here are some responses:
I'm kind of torn. We always want to do better, but I think until Atlanta fixes the transporation and infrastructure problems, we need to stop trying to court more business. — Scott Anderson
On Sunday I took my children to the Atlanta History Muesuem and on the pie chart of the worst things about Atlanta was traffic with 25%. This elephant in the room needs to be addresed adequately,first and foremost and not with resurfacing or traffic circles. Atlanta's infrasturcture and lack or expanded public transportation(outside of the perimeter) where most of the decent jobs are is a disservice to current residents and potential residents alike. I spend on average 3 hours a day commuting from Alpharetta to South Atlanta and that is with no accidents. Absurd. Amazon please do not come here without demanding a major overhaul of the infrastructure within the next five years. I suggest looking into to Elon Musk's BORING company as tunnels maybe our only solution. — Nik Moore
I've gone on record saying that Atlanta didn't disserve Amazon because the outlying counties refused to support MARTA on racist grounds. I have lived in Atlanta since 1962 and can conclude that greater Atlanta does not have the transportation infrastructure to support an influx of 50,000 more cars. The decisions Atlanta made in the '70s still haunt greater Atlanta today. I just returned from Seattle and saw their gridlock even with successful underground and surface transportation systems which Atlanta will not build with the counties in competition for funding. Atlanta missed it's opportunity years ago. — Perry Treadwell, Decatur
Amazon has diversity as a core value. They will not locate a second HQ to a state that seriously considers legislation to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ citizens for any reason, even so called "religious freedom." We might as well not have applied. — Martha J Brewer, Atlanta
If Amazon comes here, they should insist upon better public transportation instead of all the tax incentives. In the long run that will benefit the company more. Amazon seems to me a company that looks at the long-term and isn't afraid of doing things differently than other companies. I would relish a company coming to Atlanta that isn't a money-grubber! — Jean Johnson
Shelagh MaRee Hardrich for the AJC
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