PHOTOS: Georgia voters head to polls for runoff elections

Politics

PHOTOS: Georgia voters head to polls for runoff elections

Photos from Georgia primary run-off elections on Aug. 11, 2020.

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County poll manager Don Heaton (left) speaks with assistant poll manager Bob Portnoy during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Voting stickers for individuals that are not eligible to vote based on their age are displayed during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County assistant Poll manager Bob Portnoy walks through an empty cafeteria at Norcross High School during Georgia primary run-off elections in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Polls opened at 7am and there were 4 voters that turned up by 9am. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Poll workers Shirley Favors (left ) and Jocelyn Samuel (right) prepare to open the polls at Park Tavern in Atlanta on Aug. 11, 2020.

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - A sign directs voters to the cafeteria at Norcross High Schoolduring Georgia primary run-off elections in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Light turnout at Park Tavern in Atlanta as poll worker Shirley Favors (left) waits for voters to fill out cards as voter, Rebecca Dupree (right) exits the polls on Aug. 11, 2020.

Elections workers examine absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Aug. 11, 2020.

Voting stickers on the table at the Park Tavern poll location in Atlanta on Aug. 11, 2020.

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County poll worker Ilene (last name withheld) disinfects electronic voter ballot cards during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Margie Thorpe holds up a pair of campaign signs in Midtown Atlanta on Aug. 11, 2020.

Poll workers Lisa Jackson (Left) and Cuedriene Edwards (right) work the tables at Park Tavern in Atlanta on Aug. 11, 2020.

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County assistant Poll manager Bob Portnoy hands a voter her registration card during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County poll worker Ilene (last name withheld) disinfects electronic voter ballot cards during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

081120 Atlanta: Poll manager Michelle Hairston and poll workers wait between voters during the election runoff at Flat Shoals Elementary School on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: Ryan Fetter has the polls to himself as he casts his ballot during the election runoff at Flat Shoals Elementary School on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

August 11, 2020 Atlanta: Stickers await voters on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Park Tavern located at 500 10th St NE in Atlanta. A heated race for Fulton County district attorney saw a light turnout at the polls on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Incumbent Paul Howard faces his former chief deputy, Fani Willis, in a closely watched contest to become the countyÕs top prosecutor. Election officials said they learned lessons from the June 9 primary to avoid the kind of extreme lines that some voters encountered last time. Poll workers have been retrained. Technicians were on hand at every voting location in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Voting machines were delivered well in advance of election day. Still, some voters experienced problems and long waits at the polls. Nearly 377,000 Georgians already voted in advance of election day, most of them casting absentee ballots. About 60% of early votes were absentee; the rest were cast in person during three weeks of early voting. With so many voters using absentee ballots, election results might be slow to come in Tuesday night. Absentee ballots will be counted if theyÕre received by county election officials before 7 p.m., but each ballot has to be fed through a scanner to be counted, a process that can take days. Election officials say itÕs normal for absentee vote-counting to take some time. But that means close races might not be settled on election night. The winners of TuesdayÕs runoffs will advance to the general election in November, when turnout is expected to break records and exceed 5 million voters. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

August 11, 2020 Atlanta: Poll manager, Raphillia Edwards (right) swears in her poll worker team on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Park Tavern located at 500 10th St NE in Atlanta. A heated race for Fulton County district attorney saw a light turnout at the polls on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Incumbent Paul Howard faces his former chief deputy, Fani Willis, in a closely watched contest to become the county’s top prosecutor. Election officials said they learned lessons from the June 9 primary to avoid the kind of extreme lines that some voters encountered last time. Poll workers have been retrained. Technicians were on hand at every voting location in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Voting machines were delivered well in advance of election day. Still, some voters experienced problems and long waits at the polls. Nearly 377,000 Georgians already voted in advance of election day, most of them casting absentee ballots. About 60% of early votes were absentee; the rest were cast in person during three weeks of early voting. With so many voters using absentee ballots, election results might be slow to come in Tuesday night. Absentee ballots will be counted if they’re received by county election officials before 7 p.m., but each ballot has to be fed through a scanner to be counted, a process that can take days. Election officials say it’s normal for absentee vote-counting to take some time. But that means close races might not be settled on election night. The winners of Tuesday’s runoffs will advance to the general election in November, when turnout is expected to break records and exceed 5 million voters. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

August 11, 2020 Atlanta: Poll workers making sure things go well for voters on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Morningside Baptist Church located at 1700 Piedmont Avenue NE in Atlanta. A heated race for Fulton County district attorney saw a light turnout at the polls on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Incumbent Paul Howard faces his former chief deputy, Fani Willis, in a closely watched contest to become the county’s top prosecutor. Election officials said they learned lessons from the June 9 primary to avoid the kind of extreme lines that some voters encountered last time. Poll workers have been retrained. Technicians were on hand at every voting location in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Voting machines were delivered well in advance of election day. Still, some voters experienced problems and long waits at the polls. Nearly 377,000 Georgians already voted in advance of election day, most of them casting absentee ballots. About 60% of early votes were absentee; the rest were cast in person during three weeks of early voting. With so many voters using absentee ballots, election results might be slow to come in Tuesday night. Absentee ballots will be counted if they’re received by county election officials before 7 p.m., but each ballot has to be fed through a scanner to be counted, a process that can take days. Election officials say it’s normal for absentee vote-counting to take some time. But that means close races might not be settled on election night. The winners of Tuesday’s runoffs will advance to the general election in November, when turnout is expected to break records and exceed 5 million voters. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

081120 Atlanta: Juan Curry picks up his sticker after casting his vote in the election runoff at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: Task force member Cecilia Houston Torrence takes a selfie with Fulton Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and Fulton Elections Board Chairwoman Mary Carole Cooney during their visit at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center to check on how things are working during the runoff election on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

August 11, 2020 Atlanta: Poll workers preparing voters for the machines on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Magnolia Hall located at 1320 Monroe Drive NE in Atlanta. A heated race for Fulton County district attorney saw a light turnout at the polls on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Incumbent Paul Howard faces his former chief deputy, Fani Willis, in a closely watched contest to become the county’s top prosecutor. Election officials said they learned lessons from the June 9 primary to avoid the kind of extreme lines that some voters encountered last time. Poll workers have been retrained. Technicians were on hand at every voting location in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Voting machines were delivered well in advance of election day. Still, some voters experienced problems and long waits at the polls. Nearly 377,000 Georgians already voted in advance of election day, most of them casting absentee ballots. About 60% of early votes were absentee; the rest were cast in person during three weeks of early voting. With so many voters using absentee ballots, election results might be slow to come in Tuesday night. Absentee ballots will be counted if they’re received by county election officials before 7 p.m., but each ballot has to be fed through a scanner to be counted, a process that can take days. Election officials say it’s normal for absentee vote-counting to take some time. But that means close races might not be settled on election night. The winners of Tuesday’s runoffs will advance to the general election in November, when turnout is expected to break records and exceed 5 million voters. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

081120 Atlanta: Juan Curry works on his provisional ballot during the election runoff at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: A ballot cabinet is seen during the election runoff at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: Voters make their choices using ballot cabinets during the runoff election at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: Fulton Commission Chairman Robb Pitts (center) and Fulton Elections Board Chairwoman Mary Carole Cooney(left) hold a press conference on how things are working during the election runoff at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center with task force member Cecilia Houston Torrence (right) looking on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

081120 Atlanta: Fulton Commission Chairman Robb Pitts confers with election official Patricia Grant making sure all's well at the precinct during the election runoff at C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 in Atlanta. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

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Credit: ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

08/11/2020 - Norcross, Georgia - Gwinnett County poll manager Don Heaton (left) speaks with assistant poll manager Bob Portnoy during Georgia primary run-off elections at Norcross High School in Norcross, Tuesday, August 11, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

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