Race to the Runoff: Early Voting Kicks Off in Muscogee County"

By Leslie Hudgins

The second race to the polls has officially begun here in Muscogee County as the public gears up for early voting for the runoff election. Early voting is currently taking place at the City Services Center, located at 3111 Citizens Way, and will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM until Friday, June 14th. 

 "A runoff election occurs when there is a primary or an election, and one candidate does not receive 50% plus one of the votes cast, "explains Nancy Boren, Director of Elections. This was the case for the council-at-large special election, a four-year term election, and the Republican congressional seat for two and three.

Runoff elections are crucial in the democratic process for determining who advances to the November election. For Republican voters, this runoff decides their representative against the Democratic candidates. This is the final election for nonpartisan candidates, meaning they won't appear on the November ballot.

According to Boren, historically, runoff elections see lower voter turnout, which is a concern for local officials. Factors such as voter fatigue from multiple elections in a year can contribute to this decline. She says the elections office is making efforts to combat this by providing extended early voting hours and weekend voting opportunities.

On Election Day, June 18th, all precincts will be open. Voters must go to their assigned precincts, as the City Services Center will not serve as a polling place on that day. Voters can verify their registration and polling location via Georgia's My Voter Page or by contacting the elections office. Every registered voter in Muskogee County is eligible to participate in the runoff election.

Boren wants to remind voters to bring appropriate identification when heading to the polls. A Georgia driver's license or government-issued ID, like a passport or military ID, is also acceptable. The city services center offers free voter IDs for those without proper identification to ensure everyone can participate in the electoral process.