East Cobb voters can start casting ballots Tuesday, Oct. 13, when advance voting opens at 13 locations across Cobb County for the Nov. 3 general election.
The closest early voting site for East Cobb residents is the East Cobb Government Service Center at 4400 Lower Roswell Rd. in Marietta. The site offers a ballot drop box and Sunday voting, according to the Cobb County Elections website.
During advance voting, registered voters can vote at any of the 13 county locations.
That changes on Election Day, when voters must go to their assigned polling place.
Three ways to vote
Early in-person: Oct. 13 through Oct. 30. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays at select locations. Cobb Elections plans to post a wait-time map on its website starting Oct. 13.
Absentee by mail: Applications are accepted through Oct. 23. Voters can request a ballot online at the Georgia Secretary of State's portal, by email at [email protected], by fax at 770-528-2458, or in person at the Cobb Elections main office at 995 Roswell St. NE in Marietta. Completed ballots must reach Cobb Elections by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. They can be mailed, hand-delivered to the main office or placed in a drop box during advance voting hours.
For voters returning absentee ballots after advance voting ends Oct. 30, the main office will accept hand deliveries on Saturday, Oct. 31 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Sunday, Nov. 1 (noon to 5 p.m.) and Monday, Nov. 2 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at assigned polling places only. Voters should confirm their polling location at Georgia's My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov), because assignments can change.
Bring photo ID
Georgia law requires one of six forms of photo identification to vote in person: a Georgia driver's license (even if expired), a valid state or federal government ID, a U.S. passport, a government employee ID with photo, a U.S. military ID or a tribal ID with photo. Voters without an acceptable ID can get a free Georgia Voter Identification Card through the Cobb Elections office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
What's on the ballot
The Nov. 3 ballot includes statewide races for governor, U.S. Senate, secretary of state and lieutenant governor, plus Cobb County Commission and school board seats, the Marietta Daily Journal reported. Voters will also decide on a Cobb County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum and three proposed amendments to the Georgia Constitution.
Drop box concerns in East Cobb
Board member Debbie Fisher raised concerns at the board's Aug. 10 meeting about the lack of drop boxes in the District 3 East Cobb area. The board approved the advance voting schedule on a 4-0-1 vote, with Fisher abstaining, according to meeting minutes. The East Cobb Government Service Center remains the only drop box location in East Cobb.
Elections Director Leigh Phillips, who was appointed in April, said upon taking the post in May that her goal is "to make the voting process secure, efficient, and understandable for every eligible voter …"
Voters with questions can call Cobb Elections at 770-528-2581 or visit the Cobb Elections website.
