Douglas County Voter Guide 2020: Deadlines, How To Vote

DOUGLASVILLE, GA —The Nov. 3 election is quickly approaching in Douglasville, and voters have already begun submitting absentee ballots through early voting locations, mail and drop boxes. This year, Douglas County voters will decide on races for president, U.S. House and U.S. Senate as well as state constitutional amendments and various local races.

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING IN DOUGLAS COUNTY

Early in-person voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs through Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at these locations:

• Boundary Water Aquatic Center: 5000 Highway 92/166, Douglasville
• Deer Lick Park: 2105 Mack Road, Douglasville
• Dog River Library: 6100 Georgia Highway 5, Douglasville
• Douglas County Courthouse: 8700 Hospital Dr., Douglasville
• Douglas County Old Courthouse: 6754 W. Church St., Douglasville

Two more sites will open on Oct. 30, the final day of voting:

• Church at Chapel Hill: 5357 Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville
• Atlanta West Pentecostal Church: 2960 Skyview Dr., Lithia Springs

Douglas County's transit service, Connect Douglas, can provide rides to the polls with 24 hours notice. To schedule a ride, call 770-920-7213.

ABSENTEE VOTING

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 30.

You can apply for an absentee ballot by visiting BallotRequest.SOS.GA.gov.

With few exceptions, your absentee ballot must be mailed to you at the address recorded on your voter registration. If you’re unsure of the address information on file, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s website at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Douglas County has made 11 secure drop-off boxes available for returning absentee ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Each box is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. No postage is necessary on ballots placed in the drop boxes.

• Boundary Water Aquatic Center: 5000 Highway 92/166, Douglasville (by the front door)
• Deer Lick Park: 2105 Mack Road, Douglasville (by the front door of the recreation building)
• Dog River Library: 6100 Georgia Highway 5, Douglasville (by the front door of the library)
• Douglas County Courthouse: 8700 Hospital Dr., Douglasville (in front, to the right, by the bike rack). A second drop box is on the first floor outside the registration office.
• Douglas County Government Annex: 6200 Fairburn Road, Douglasville
• Douglas County Old Courthouse: 6754 W. Church St., Douglasville
• Douglas County Public Library: 6810 Selman Dr., Douglasville
• Hunter Park: 8830 Gurley Road, Douglasville
• Jesse Davis Park: 7775 Malone St., Douglasville
• Lithia Springs Public Library: 7100 Turner Dr., Lithia Springs

PREPARING FOR ELECTION DAY

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you are allowed to cast your ballot.

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place. You can find your assigned polling location on your voter registration card, by logging into the Secretary of State's My Voter Page, or by contacting your County Board of Registrar's Office. In addition, Douglas County offers a downloadable PDF map of polling locations.

When you get to your polling place, show your photo ID to the poll worker. A poll worker will check your photo ID, verify that you are registered and at the correct polling location, issue you a voter access card or ballot, whichever is applicable, and allow you to vote. Learn how to vote at polling places in Georgia.

For more information about voting in Douglas County, call the Douglas County Board of Elections & Registration at 770-920-7213, or visit the county website at CelebrateDouglas.com.

WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT

Sample ballots are now available for Douglas County voters. Depending on where you live in Douglas, you may be in the 30th or 35th district for the Georgia Senate or the 61st or 67th district for the Georgia General Assembly. There also are competitive races for Douglas County clerk of superior court and tax commissioner.

In addition, Douglas County voters will choose whether or not to “utilize tax allocation and redevelopment powers under the ‘Redevelopment Powers Law’.” Voting yes does not raise taxes. The Douglas County Chamber explains on its website in layman’s terms what the Redevelopment Powers Law means.

Statewide, Georgians will have the opportunity to vote on two proposed constitutional amendments and a referendum. These are the amendments, with explanations by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger:

The wording of the ballot questions is available on sample ballots found at mvp.sos.ga.

Amendment 1

"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate revenues derived from fees or taxes to the public purpose for which such fees or taxes were intended?"

Raffensperger's summary: This proposal authorizes the Georgia General Assembly by general law to require that fees or taxes collected for some specific intended public purpose be used as so intended. It requires any such general law to identify the specific public purpose, name the state agency to administer the funds, require the agency to make annual reports of revenues and expenses, and automatically end the fee or tax within ten years. It prohibits the General Assembly from designating funds when total revenues so dedicated equal or exceed one percent of the total state revenues based on the previous fiscal year's appropriated state revenues. It exempts such general laws from certain state constitutional restrictions. It requires that such general laws, including amendments, be approved by two-thirds of each chamber of the General Assembly, but allows for repeal of such general laws by simple majority vote. It prohibits attempts to reallocate dedicated funds through any appropriations act or amendment. It provides for temporary suspension of such general laws by the Governor or by the General Assembly in the event of a financial emergency, subject to certain limitations. It amends Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI of the Georgia Constitution by re-designating the second subparagraph (o), relating to the dedication of the excise tax on the sale of fireworks, as subparagraph (p), by re-designating subparagraph (p), relating to the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Fund, as subparagraph (q), and by adding a new subparagraph (r).

Amendment 2

"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to waive sovereign immunity and allow the people of Georgia to petition the superior court for relief from governmental acts done outside the scope of lawful authority or which violate the laws of this state, the Constitution of Georgia, or the Constitution of the United States?"

Raffensperger's summary: This proposal waives state and local sovereign immunity so as to allow citizens to sue the State of Georgia, its departments and other agencies, and its local governments in superior courts and authorizes superior courts to order state and local officers and employees to cease violations of the Georgia Constitution, the laws of the State of Georgia, or the United States Constitution, beginning with violations occurring on or after January 1, 2021. It requires that such suits be brought only against the State or Georgia, or in the case of a local government, against the specific local government. It requires superior courts to dismiss any such lawsuit that names any individual state or local public officer or employee as a defendant. It maintains the ability of superior courts to dismiss such suits based on other appropriate legal or equitable grounds or limitation on review in superior court. It prohibits any type of monetary award, including attorney's fees or costs of litigation, unless authorized by an Act of the Georgia General Assembly. It does not prohibit the General Assembly from further waiving certain other immunities provided for under Georgia's Constitution, though it does not waive any immunity provided for by the United States Constitution. It amends Article I, Section II, Paragraph V of the Georgia Constitution by rendering the current text subparagraph (a) and adding a new subparagraph (b).

Referendum

"Shall the Act be approved which provides an exemption from ad valorem taxes for all real property owned by a purely public charity, if such charity is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and such real property is held exclusively for the purpose of building or repairing single-family homes to be financed by such charity to individuals using loans that shall not bear interest?"

Raffensperger's summary: This proposal authorizes a new exemption from ad valorem taxes for all real property owned by a purely public charity, if such charity is exempt from federal taxation and such property is used only for building or repairing single-family homes to be financed by such charity to individuals using zero-interest loans. It amends Code Section 48-5-41 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated by deleting "and" at the end of paragraph (14), by replacing the period with "; and" at the end of paragraph (15), and by adding a new paragraph.

If approved by a majority of voters, the act becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2021, and applies to all tax years beginning on or after that date.

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