Early voting starts Monday

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  • Times-Courier
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Social distancing and other coronavirus restrictions will be in place when early voting in the Aug. 11 primary runoff election begins Monday, July 20, and runs through Friday, Aug. 7, according to Gilmer County Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins.

There will only be one local race decided, for Chief Magistrate Judge of Magistrate Court, and some state office races. The Voter Registrar office on Broad Street will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday. There will be no Saturday voting during the run-up to the runoff.

“There will be the same restrictions as before in May (during the primary election),” Watkins said. “There will be social distancing of voters maintaining a 6-foot difference between them, all the registrar’s staff will have on mask and gloves.”

Voter IDs such as driver’s licenses will also be taken from voters, wiped down for sanitizing and then returned before they check in, she added.

Watkins was asked how the social distancing and other requirements worked during the May primary.

“Everybody did well,” she said. “We didn’t have anybody really upset. There was an initial wait because we had to cancel ballots. People decided they wanted to come in and vote in person instead of vote by absentee. That’s what the big holdup was ... we’re hoping the process is going to go a lot faster this time.”

For more information, call the registrar’s office at 706-635-4617.