ATLANTA — Mercedes-Benz Stadium is officially opening as an early voting site for the Jan. 5 Senate runoffs.
The home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United is taking the baton from State Farm Arena, which was a highly popular early voting location during the general election and had been open again last week as early voting for the runoffs began.
With the NBA season starting Tuesday, however, State Farm Arena had to clear out for the election.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will now be open for voting Tuesday, Dec. 22 and Wednesday, Dec. 23, before closing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It will reopen on Saturday and be open through Dec. 30.
Voting times Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Saturday and Sunday will be 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. From next Monday through Wednesday it will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
According to AMB Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of the Falcons and United which operates the stadium, voters will be asked to enter the stadium at Gate 2. The voting will be done on ballot-market devices set up behind sections 102 and 103.
Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Rob Pitts said the partnership between the Hawks and Falcons/United gives residents "a chance to visit another world-class facility right here in our community."
Early voting across Fulton County ends next Wednesday, Dec. 30. Election Day is Jan. 5.