EDITORIAL: Don’t forget about Tuesday’s runoff

Published 1:28 pm Monday, December 3, 2018

After a contentious election, just a few races remain to be decided. Statewide and locally, November’s general election saw a tremendous turnout, breaking records in a number of counties. That momentum doesn’t have to end with the governor’s race. Early voting for the runoff ended Friday and Tuesday is runoff Election Day. Local voters will cast ballots to help decide the next secretary of state. Democrat John Barrow faces Republican Brad Raffensperger. The winner will succeed Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden, who was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to replace Gov.-elect Brian Kemp. A seat on the state Public Service Commission will also be decided. If you haven’t voted early, there is still time to do so on Tuesday. 

Local runoffs traditionally don’t gain much traction among voters, but that certainly doesn’t lesson their impact or importance.

And don’t forget to bring one of the six forms of required photo identification with you to the polls on Election Day:

• Georgia driver’s license, even if expired; 
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport; 
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state; 
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or 
• Valid tribal photo ID. 

Let’s all give thanks for the opportunity to live in a nation where our voices can be heard at the polls and we get to decide who and how we’re represented in government. That’s something we shouldn’t take for granted and we should all be thankful for this season and beyond.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.