Early voting opens Monday

Advance in-person voting for both the City of Cairo special election and the General Primary begins Monday at 8:30 a.m., but officials report that demand for absentee ballots remains strong.

Cairo City Clerk Dana Barfield reported Tuesday that her office has received requests for 117 absentee ballot applications and to-date, 60 have been returned.

Grady County Election Superintendent Denise Maddox says that as of Tuesday, 3,284 applications for absentee ballots had been received and processed. Of those, 2,095 requested republican ballots and 1,108 requested democratic ballots and 81 requested non-partisan ballots.

Absentee ballot applications were mailed to all of the county’s 15,165 registered voters, but city voters are reminded that they must make application with Cairo City Hall to receive an absentee ballot for the city’s special election.

The primary republican ballot features the hotly contested race for sheriff between incumbent Sheriff Harry Young and his republican challengers Steve Clark, Duke Donaldson, and Jared Evans. The republican nominee will face the lone democrat in the sheriff’s race, Donald “Dickie” Thomas, in November.

Another competitive race on the republican ballot is for tax commissioner. Republican Bobby Newmons is challenging incumbent republican Tax Commissioner Barbara Darus.

In district races on the republican ballot, incumbent June Knight is being challenged by Richard Jordan for the republican nomination for District 1 county commission with the winner facing democrat Ralph Harris in November; incumbent Keith Moye faces off with opponent Celina Sholar for the republican nomination for District 3 county commission.

Voters countywide will also be asked to approve or oppose a new one percent sales tax that can only be spent on transportation related projects. The TSPLOST is projected to generate approximately $15 million over five years and the money would be split between the county and the cities of Cairo and Whigham.

The only race on the City of Cairo’s special election ballot is for mayor. That race features Emory Thomas Sr., and Howard Thrower III.

Advance voting for the general primary will take place at the Grady County Courthouse. Voting in the city’s special election will take place at the Grady Cultural Center, 101 First Street N.W.

Early voting will continue through 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5 and election day is Tuesday, June 9. There will be one day of Saturday voting, on May 30, for the general election and it will be held at the courthouse from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The City of Cairo is not conducting any Saturday voting.

Voters are reminded that election day for the City of Cairo special election will not be held at the Agri-Center, which is the traditional polling place. Due to the general primary taking place on the same day, the city election will be conducted at the Grady Cultural Center.

Hours for early voting are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.