By the time advanced voting opens Oct. 15 for the November Presidential Election, the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections aims to shorten the walking distance to the polls at Macon Mall.
Elections Supervisor Tom Gillon is pursuing the possibility of setting up advanced voting in the county’s new courtrooms, which have curbside access at the entrance of the old Sears garden shop that is closest to the mall entrances on Bloomfield Road and Mercer University Drive.
The board’s attorney, William Noland, also plans to research whether Georgia’s updated election law will allow placement of the absentee ballot drop box at the courtrooms, as well.
In the 2020 Presidential Election, outdoor ballot drop boxes were permitted to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In a 2021 effort to restore voter confidence following the tumultuous aftermath of the defeat of former president Donald Trump, Georgia lawmakers tightened regulations and limited drop box use to reduce the risk of ballot stuffing and fraud. Boxes can no longer be left outdoors unattended and accessible around the clock, but need to be inside an early voting location or elections office, under surveillance and only available during office hours when there is supervision.
Georgia code section 21-2-382 states that a branch of a county courthouse or annex building can be set up as advanced voting locations, which could address accessibility complaints.
The Board of Elections had planned to use the new library branch to set up a satellite polling location closer to parking, but it’s too small to prevent voters from having to wait outside in the elements if there’s a line of people waiting to cast ballots.
There is a canopy over the courtrooms’ entrance and more room to snake a queue inside.
Concerns about elderly and handicapped voters having to walk at least 175 yards from the nearest handicapped parking place at the mall to the Board of Elections office first surfaced when the County Commission toured the construction site in December of 2022. Elections board members and staff also noted the distance and the dilemma of finding a place for the drop box when they took their initial walk-through of the offices nearing completion in spring of 2023.
There was talk of providing golf carts or other motorized transport, but instead, election workers moved a couple of voting machines outside of the office and into a sprawling lobby.
But the atrium that was once part of the lower level of Sears was still a long walk from the parking lot, which drew concerns from the local chapter of the NAACP.
After last minute redistricting led to ballot confusion and mishaps in the May election, election staff also are working on having precinct maps available at the polls so voters can verify they are voting at the right location.
SPECIAL ELECTION
At Thursday’s meeting, the board also agreed to hold the special election for Macon Water Authority District 1 during the November election. Democrat Anissa Jones resigned that seat to run for Georgia House District 143 that will be vacated by Rep. James Beverly. Jones faces Republican Barbara Boyer Nov. 5.
Although the board wanted to set qualifying dates for that MWA seat for Aug. 7, 8 and 9, they have to wait for the Macon-Bibb County Commission to set the fees for the election. The dates are expected to be Sept. 11, 12 and 13.
Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Elaine Lucas already announced plans to run for the seat currently being filled by Calder Clay, a former city councilman and county commissioner.
— This story has been edited to reflect new qualifying dates for the MWA special election. Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
