Voters head to the polls tomorrow for an election cycle that will decide the next mayor of Atlanta, four seats on Atlanta’s Board of Education, and two seats on the state’s impactful Public Service Commission.
This fall’s contests will also decide all 15 seats on the Atlanta City Council, the next City Council president, and key mayoral races in Fairburn, South Fulton, Sandy Springs, Chattahoochee Hills, Milton, and Marietta, among other metro area cities.
This is what you need to know before you head to the polls:
Where to find voting locations
Fulton County lists all the voting locations here. On Election Day, voters are required to cast their ballots at their assigned precinct. Polling locations are open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This year marks the first time that Fulton County’s Board of Elections and Registration will be running elections for all 15 of the cities that reside within the county, according to LaShandra Little, the county’s voter education and outreach manager.
Where to check voter registration
Voters can also use the My Voter Page to ensure they are registered to vote. The state’s latest mass voter registration cancellation impacted an estimated 80,000 inactive voters in Fulton County alone, according to Little.
What do you need to bring to vote?
Any federal or state issue ID can be used to vote. That includes a Georgia state ID card, driver’s license, a U.S. passport, and a government employee ID. Students attending public colleges and universities, such as the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, can use their student IDs to vote.
Click here for a breakdown of acceptable forms of voter ID.
Key races on the ballot
Atlanta Mayor
Andre Dickens is up for reelection against a group of lesser-known challengers that includes community advocate Eddie Meredith, consultant Helmut “Love” Domagalski and former Atlanta police officer Kalema Jackson.
Atlanta City Council President
Incumbent Atlanta City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet is vying against Center for Civic Innovation founder Rohit Malhotra to replace outgoing City Council President Doug Shipman, who is not seeking reelection.
Atlanta City Council District 11
Eight candidates are competing to replace Marci Collier Overstreet in District 11, which represents several major southwest Atlanta neighborhoods, including Campbellton Road, Cascade Road, Greenbriar, and Ben Hill.
Overstreet opted not to run for reelection, opting instead to throw her hat in the race for City Council president. Community advocate Harold Hardnett, real estate attorney Nate Jester, local AME church leader Toni Belin Ingram, educator Curt Collier, music executive Steven Dingle, and insurance professional Reginald Rushin are among those competing to replace her.
Public Service Commission
The Public Service Commission is the regulatory body that decides whether to increase rates for utility companies, including Georgia Power, which provides energy to an estimated 2.7 million Georgians, including most living in metro Atlanta.
The five-member PSC Board of Commissioners has taken heat in recent years for approving six Georgia Power rate hikes. In July, the board approved a plan that would not raise Georgia Power’s rates for the next three years. However, the company is expected to ask the PSC to let it start recouping major storm-related losses from customers over the next several years.
Incumbent Republican Fitz Johnson’s District 2 PSC region includes metro Atlanta. He’s running for reelection against Democratic challenger Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate and renewable energy project developer for Cygnus Solar Power.
Fellow GOP incumbent Tim Echols represents PSC District 3, which includes much of Georgia’s Atlantic coastal region. He’s running for reelection against Democrat Alicia Johnson, a health care administrator from Savannah.
Click here for a primary season breakdown on where the candidates stand on the issues.
Read More:
Meet the Candidates Who May Decide What Happens With Your Electric Bill
Atlanta City Council Candidates Address Senior Citizen Concerns In Greenbriar
