FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Early voting is now underway after being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past several weeks, election officials have been working to ensure that voting would be safe and secure for voters and poll workers.
Advanced voting for the General Primary, the Presidential Preference Primary, and the Special Election kicked off on Monday across the state. Voting will run for three weeks in Georgia, but voting at the Forsyth County Elections Office will only run for the first two weeks.
Forsyth residents will be voting for the district four commissioner, education board members for districts five and three, and the county coroner position.
Incumbent commissioner for district four, Cindy Jones Mills, who was first elected to the seat in 2012, will face Republican challengers Amy Barfield, Brandy Bevis, and Ken Anderson.
Republican candidates Lindsey Adams and Bibi Lopez are running for Forsyth County Board of Education’s fifth district. Republican candidates Incumbent Tom Cleveland and local attorney, Barry Herrin are running for the Forsyth County Board of Education’s third district.
The former sheriff of Forsyth County, Ted Paxton, and the chief deputy coroner, Paul Holbrook, are running for the county coroner position.
Local races:
- District 4 Commissioner
- Education Board Member for District 5
- (R) Lindsey Adams
- (R) Bibi Lopez
- Education Board Member for District 3
- (R) Incumbent Tom Cleveland
- (R) Barry Herrin
- Forsyth County Coroner
- (R) Ted Paxton
- (R) Paul Holbrook
Polling Locations:
Forsyth County Elections Office (1201 Sawnee Drive)
- May 18-22, May 26-29 and June 1-4 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- May 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- June 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hampton Park Library (5345 Settingdown Road)
- May 18-30: this location not open for voting
- June 1-4 from 8 a.m to 6 p.m.
- June 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sharon Springs Park Community Building (1950 Sharon Road)
- May 18-30: this location not open for voting
- June 1-4 from 8 a.m to 6 p.m.
- June 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Midway Park Community Building (5100 Post Road)
- May 18-30: this location not open for voting
- June 1-4 from 8 a.m to 6 p.m.
- June 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Forsyth County board of commissioners voted to not open the Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Operations Center for Advance Voting for this election.
Voting in person guidelines:
When voting in person, the county says that poll workers are following local and state public health guidelines along with CDC recommended guidelines to limit the threat of COVID-19 at the polling place. Voters who show up to vote in person will be instructed to maintain a safe distance throughout the voting process to help ensure the health and safety of the voters and the poll workers. In order to implement these changes, the county has reduced voting equipment. Additionally, the voting equipment and other items will be sanitized routinely; therefore, increased wait times and lines are likely during Advance Voting and on Election Day.
Absentee Information:
Election officials are encouraging voters to utilize Absentee: Vote-by-mail Voting if possible. For Absentee Voting, Voters can return voted ballots via mail or in the official absentee ballot dropbox that is located outside the Forsyth County Elections Office. This secure box is in a well-lit area and is under 24-hour video surveillance. Absentee ballot applications are still being accepted. They must be received in the Voter Registrations and Elections office by close of business on June 5.
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