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Tucker Library sees a steady stream of voters on Election Day

Clarkston elections Stone Mountain Tucker

Tucker Library sees a steady stream of voters on Election Day

Joel Nealy voted with his wife Betty at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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Tucker, GA — Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library had a steady stream of voters on Nov. 2, Election Day. One volunteer was working a check-in table with hand sanitizer, masks and temperature checks while a handful of poll staff members inside had spread out voting machines to follow COVID-19 protocols.

People exiting the library said it was an easy experience compared to 2020 when “the line was around the corner,” according to one District 3 voter.

Mark Sluscavage read about each candidate on social media, and saw one article on the DeKalb Schools E-SPLOST. He voted for mayoral candidate Robin Biro.

“I vote for everything I can,” said Sluscavage. “I didn’t realize there was early voting, but I was traveling last week anyway.”

Voters Peggy & Elliott Denmark at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Elliott Denmark and Peggy Denmark stopped to talk after voting. They’ve lived in the same house in Tucker for 57 years. They both voted in favor of the DeKalb County E-SPLOST because all three of their kids graduated from Tucker Elementary School and Tucker High School.

How did they get educated about the candidates?

“We talked to some people who know more than us. And we have been pleased with Mayor Auman’s work. And the other candidate, I voted the name I know. I don’t know much about him, but I know more than the other,” said Elliott.

Tucker voter Mark Sluscavage on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day. Photo by Dean Hesse.

When asked what he likes about Mayor Frank Auman, Elliott said, “I don’t know how all the money gets there, but I like the road improvement, his work on parks and I like the start of the building over [on Church Street].”

“I think they’ve done a good job trying to produce traffic business coming through Main Street in our little town. I’m pretty simple with that stuff,” he said.

Joel Nealy, 70, said elected officials need to learn how to change and keep an open mind.

“No matter how a person tries to get in today, in their feelings or thoughts, they might as well get ready for change,” said Nealy. “And if you don’t want to change, you have to learn to go along with some of the procedures things that are going on. Because if not, you’ll just be pissed off.”

Nealy has lived in Tucker since 2001, and he also voted for Biro. He supported the DeKalb County E-SPLOST because schools need the money, he said.

Voter Travis Navarra at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day. Photo by Dean Hesse.

“Kick the can down the road, eventually you’re going to have to pick the can up,” Nealy said.

Travis Navarra said he received a lot of text messages and calls from candidates. He is not active on the local Facebook election groups. He did not vote for Auman, but said it was nothing personal.

“I liked Auman. I met him a couple times. Nice guy. I’m just voting against the party,” he said.

Betty and Joel Nealy enter Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day. Photo by Dean Hesse.

More information about today’s elections:

City elections are today, Nov. 2.

There will be elections in Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain. County residents can vote on extending the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.  Polls will be open at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.

The Tucker Observer will be bringing you election results after the polls close.

Editor’s note: Decaturish and the Tucker Observer have published an Elections Guide, a 76-page e-edition featuring Q&As with nearly every candidate running in our communities. To see it, click here. This special e-edition features candidates running for public office in Decatur, Avondale Estates, Atlanta City Council District 5, Clarkston Tucker and Stone Mountain.  There is a PDF version of this, which you can see by clicking here, but due to the format of this e-edition, we strongly encourage you to use the e-reader version.

All election coverage can be found at Decaturishvotes.com and Tuckerobservervotes.com.  

To find your polling location, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter page by clicking here.

You have to be 18 and registered to vote to cast your ballot in the Nov. 2 elections.

You will need to bring one of the following forms of identification, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office:

– Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

– A Georgia Driver’s License, even if expired

– 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. passport ID

– Valid U.S. military photo ID

– Valid tribal photo ID

The polls offer audio ballots for voters who are blind or have low vision and booths for voters in wheelchairs. If you need help with your ballot, you can ask a family member or friend to come with you to the polls and fill the ballot in with your choices.

DeKalb County has released a list of 10 things voters need to know before voting on Nov. 2. Here’s more information from DeKalb County:

DeKalb County voters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with their voting options as the Nov. 2 General/Special Municipal Election approaches.

Here are 10 important reminders:

1. Before heading to the polls on Election Day, voters are encouraged to verify their precinct location at DeKalbVotes.com. There were six precinct changes this year:

Previous Polling LocationNew Polling Location
Chamblee Civic Center 

3540 Broad Street

Chamblee 30341

Chamblee Public Safety/Municipal Court 

4445 Buford Highway NE

Chamblee 30341

Doraville City Hall 

3725 Park Avenue

Doraville 30340

Doraville Civic Center 

377- Central Ave.

Doraville 30340

Rock of Ages Lutheran Church 

5135 Memorial Drive

Stone Mountain 30083

Georgia Piedmont Technical College-Clarkston 

495 N. Indian Creek Drive

Clarkston 30021

City of Stonecrest Annex 

(Sears Building-Stonecrest Mall)

2929 Turner Hill Road

Stonecrest 30038

Stonecrest Library 

3123 Klondike Road

Stonecrest 30038

Victory Church 

1170 North Hairston Road

Stone Mountain 30083

Stone Mill Elementary School 

4900 Sheila Lane

Stone Mountain 30083

Ray of Hope Christian Church 

2778 Snapfinger Road

Decatur 30034

Ray of Hope Christian Education Building 

2767 Snapfinger Road

Decatur 30034

2. DeKalb County residents who reside within the boundaries of the City of Atlanta are urged to cast their ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day to avoid voting by provisional ballot. In DeKalb, the November 2, 2021, polling hours are 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Precincts within Atlanta-DeKalb will officially close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Therefore, the 13 Atlanta-DeKalb polling locations listed below will require voters who arrive after 7 p.m. on November 2 to cast a provisional ballot as opposed to voting on a touchscreen ballot machine.

The following are the Atlanta-DeKalb Precinct Names/Polling Places:

– BB/Boulevard: Israel Baptist Church, 2071 Hosea L. Williams Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30317

– BC/Briar Vista Elem: Briar Vista Elementary School, 1131 Briar Vista Terrace NE Atlanta, GA 30324 (two polling locations)

– JA/Johnson Estates: Briar Vista Elementary School, 1131 Briar Vista Terrance NE Atlanta, GA 30324 (two polling locations)

– BR/Burgess Elem:  Hugh Otis Burgess Elem. School, 480 Clifton Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30316

– CX/Candler Park: Neighborhood Church, 1561 McLendon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 (two polling locations)

– LE/Lin-Mary Lin: Neighborhood Church, 1561 McLendon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 (two polling locations)

– CN/Coan Recreation: Coan Park Recreation Center, 1530 Woodbine Ave., Atlanta, GA 30317

– DH/Druid Hills High: Druid Hills High School, 1798 Haygood Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

– EA/East Lake: St. Philip AME Church, 240 Candler Road SE, Gymnasium B, Atlanta, GA 30317

– ER/Emory Road: Emory Presbyterian Church, 1886 North Decatur Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30317

– EG/Emory South: Atlanta Metropolitan Church, 999 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30306

– MT/Metropolitan: First Iconium Baptist Church, 542 Moreland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316

– SE/Silver Lake: Ashford Park Elem., 2968 Cravenridge Drive NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319

3. Please note that all absentee ballots for DeKalb County voters must be received by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 in order to be counted.

4. Drop boxes are no longer available, and it’s too late to mail a completed absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be hand-delivered to the DeKalb Voter and Registrations office, located at 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300 in Decatur.

5. Reminder: If you are a voter with a physical disability or are 75 years of age and older, you do not need to wait in line. Just walk to the entrance and a poll worker will assist you in casting your ballot.

6. Voters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the changes in voting laws as a result of SB202. Please read the SB202 FAQ: dekalbcountyga.gov/voter-registration-elections/faqs-and-key-dates.

7. For voters who plan on voting in-person on Election Day, masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged. All poll workers will be wearing face coverings, and machines/equipment will be sanitized frequently.

8. DeKalb County is pleased to offer voter materials in both Spanish and Korean. Click here to view a composite ballot and other materials: dekalbcountyga.gov/voter-registration-elections/current-election-information.

9. Elections results will be posted on DeKalbVotes.com as they are counted.

10. For any additional questions or for anyone to experiences a challenge while trying to vote, please call 404-298-4020.

“We’ve experienced a seamless advance voting period and are expecting the same for Election Day,” said Twyla Hart, interim director of DeKalb VRE. “We encourage all voters to exercise their constitutional right and make their vote count.”

For more information on DeKalb VRE, please visit www.DeKalbVotes.com.

Election Day is Nov. 2. Early voting will begin on Oct. 12 and will end on Oct. 29. The voter registration deadline was Oct. 4. To register to vote, click here.

The Tucker Observer is a new community news website owned by Decaturish.comWe provide locally sourced news about Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain.

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