A judge ruled Atlanta polling places can stay open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, giving voters an extra hour to cast ballots in city elections.
What’s Happening: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge sided with Atlanta officials who sued Fulton and DeKalb counties to keep polls open longer. State law allows cities with more than 300,000 people to stay open an additional hour. Counties had planned to close polls at 7 p.m. following guidance from the Secretary of State’s office.
What’s Important: People who vote between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. can only vote in Atlanta races. They cannot vote in the state Public Service Commission race. Those voters will use provisional ballots.
Between the Lines: The Georgia Republican Party filed an emergency lawsuit to stop the extended hours, arguing it could cause voter confusion and impact turnout. The Secretary of State’s Office and Georgia GOP said giving Atlanta voters the extra hour could cause confusion and lead to errors in securing votes.
The Big Picture: Atlanta sued after counties planned to close polls at 7 p.m., which would have cut voting short for people who work late or have long commutes. Mayor Andre Dickens said the city will not let anyone reduce access to voting.
The Sources: City of Atlanta.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
