The Columbia County Board of Elections received updates on the multiple elections in 2024.
Nancy Gay, executive director of the Columbia County Board of Elections, told board members there were five candidates who qualified for the Feb. 13 House District 125 special election. Early voting will take place from Jan. 22 – Feb. 9 at the former Euchee Creek Library in Grovetown. Voting will be held Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturday voting taking place on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Election Day will be Tuesday, Feb. 13 with voting taking place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at one of the following precincts: Kiokee Baptist Church (010), Woodlawn Baptist Church (016), Harlem Branch Library (020), Harlem Senior Center (022), Second Mt. Moriah Baptist Church (024), the Former Euchee Creek Library (025), Liberty Park (030), Grovetown Methodist Church (031), Greater Augusta Apostolic Church (032), Grovetown DPS Station #2 (033), Grovetown Branch Library (034), Eubank Blanchard Community Center (040), Parkway Baptist Church (062), Parkway Elementary School (068) and Belair Baptist Church (075).
Only voters registered to vote at one of these precincts will be able to vote in this election.
If a runoff election is needed, it will be held March 12. To check your voter precinct, visit www.mvp.sos.ga.gov or call 706-868-3355.
The presidential preference primary will be March 12, with early voting taking place Feb. 19-March 8. The general primary and nonpartisan election will be May 21 with early voting taking place April 29-May 17. A general primary and nonpartisan runoff, if needed, will be June 18. The federal and state general election will be Nov. 5 with early voting taking place Oct. 15 – Nov. 1. A federal and state general election runoff, if needed, will be Dec. 3.
Gay said that political party candidates will be able to qualify with their party from Monday, March 4 at 9 a.m. through Friday, March 8 at noon. For independents and nonpartisan candidates, qualifying will be at the board of elections office from Monday, March 4 at 9 a.m. through Friday, March 8 at noon.
The federal, state and local offices that will appear on the ballots are: president, vice president, U.S. Congressional district (12), State Senate districts (23, 24), House of Representative districts (123, 125, 127, 131), Columbia County judicial circuit judge, clerk of superior court, coroner, probate judge, magistrate court, sheriff, tax commissioner, county commission districts (2, 3), board of education districts (1, 4) and board of education chairperson. The board of education races are nonpartisan.
There is a tentative, but not official, plan to have the special election to fill the district 3 in conjunction with the May 21 general primary, Gay said. This seat was became open when Gary Richardson resigned to run for the House District 125 seat.
“It will look a little confusing for the voter, because on the general primary ballot, if there’s a republican and/or democrat qualifier, then they’ll have district 3 on the general primary,” Gay said. “But then at the end of the ballot there should be a special election to fill the unexpired term for district 3. So, it looks like it will be on the ballot twice, in essence, but the special election will be to finish the term out.”
During the December meeting, board members voted to enter into an agreement with EagleAI, but Dr. Rick Richards, who created it, requested some changes to parts of the contract. The new contract is being looked over by the county attorney and will be brought back before the board for them to vote on again.
The Board of Election will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at the Appling warehouse for election night. The board is tentatively scheduled to meet again on Friday, Feb. 16 at the Appling warehouse to certify the results of the Feb. 13 special election.
Stephanie Hill is the managing editor and covers Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
