Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween in plezWorld


Photo courtesy of my Palm Treo 680


Every year about this time, plezWorld gets into the Spirit of Halloween. As you can see, the bag of candy for the little ghouls and goblins sits waiting by the front door. And my daughter reminded me that she had better not come home from school tomorrow afternoon without a pumpkin sitting on the front porch!

Maybe it's because I grew up in North Tarrytown, New York, which is the location of the Washington Irving's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Maybe it's because my father used to bring home the biggest damn pumpkin around which we'd carve and leave on the front porch with a lit candle inside, while we munched on the roasted seed. Maybe it's because I had so much fun as a child going door to door yelling, "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!"

Maybe it's because I now live in a "cool subdivision that has good candy" that we get a constant barrage of kids in all matter of costume ringing our doorbell into the night looking for the sweet treats.



Or maybe because of the SugarPlum, my seven-year old daughter (shown here in last year's witch outfit), who plans to "terrorize" the neighbors this year as Sharpay from "High School Musical"!

Whatever the reason, let me say, "HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ya'll!"




Thursday, October 30, 2008

Long Wait Times for Early Voting in Metro Atlanta

It is reported that by Monday, over 21 percent of the registered voters have taken advantage of early voting and absentee voting in the state of Georgia. Many of these voters are newly registered, first time voters.

For the last couple of days, we've had unseasonal cold weather (in the low 40's in the mornings), but it has not deterred Georgia voters for waiting up to 5 hours to take advantage of early voting. The long wait times are mainly concentrated in the metro Atlanta area which has about three-fourths of the state's population.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has started reporting on the wait times at various early voting locations in the metro area. The state has already said that it will not increase the dates or times for early voting. The last day for early voting in Georgia is Halloween, Friday, October 31, 2008.

Early Voting Wait Times (by Metro Atlanta County)
(as of Wednesday, October 29th)

    CLAYTON COUNTY
    All offices open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Elections and Registration Office: 121 S. McDonough St., Jonesboro

    Update: At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 200 people were in line. Poll workers said the wait is 90 minutes, but a voter at the head of the line said he had been waiting three hours. Lines started forming about 6:45 a.m.; 10 machines are in operation. Some elderly voters didn’t know that here, as elsewhere, they can bypass the line if they’re at least 75 years old or disabled.

  • Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center: 3499 Rex Road, Rex

    Update: At noon Wednesday, about 125 people waited in line. A poll worker said the wait was 90 minutes, but a voter said she waited three hours. At least 200 people were in line 20 minutes before doors opened, with the first arriving about 5:30 a.m. Voters in Rex get to wait indoors — in the gymnasium — and there are activities for children.

  • Lee Headquarters Library: 865 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro

    Update: At 4:25 p.m., 147 people waited in line. The wait was about an hour and a half.

  • Lovejoy Branch Library: 1721 McDonough Road, Hampton

    Update: Wait time was about an hour at 1:50 p.m., with about 75 people in line. The site has six voting machines, one more than on Monday.

  • Morrow Municipal Complex (Community Room): 1500 Morrow Road, Morrow

    Update: Wait time was about an hour and 45 minutes at about 3:45 p.m., with about 130 people in line. The site has voting machines, one more than on Monday.

  • Frank Bailey Senior Center: 6213 Riverdale Road, Riverdale

    Update: At 4 p.m., about 269 people waited in line. The wait was about three hours and twenty minutes in the morning, four hours at midday.


    COBB COUNTY
    Main office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satellite offices are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Cobb Elections Main Office: West Park Government Center, 736 Whitlock Ave., Marietta

    Update:About 200 people are in line. The wait time is about 2 hours.

  • East Cobb Government Service Center: 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta

    Update: There is a two-hour wait time. At all polling locations, people who are disabled or over 75 years old can go to the front of the line between the hours of 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., poll workers said.

  • South Cobb Government Service Center: 4700 Austell Road, Austell

    Update: Two hour wait time.

  • Boots Ward Recreation Center: Lost Mountain Park, 4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs

    Update: Voters waiting in line at noon stayed inside the recreation center. Parking is plentiful and lines are moving fine. The wait: just under 2 hours.

  • North Cobb Senior Center (at Kennworth Park): 4100 Highway 293 (Old 41), Acworth

    Update: Election officials report the wait is about three hours.

  • The Gallery at Galleria Specialty Mall: Two Galleria Parkway S.E., Atlanta

    Update: Shortest wait in the county at 1 1/2 hours Wednesday afternoon. There is also no waiting outside this polling place and plenty of parking.


    DEKALB COUNTY
    All offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Memorial Drive Complex: 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur (across street from the jail)

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour and a half, elections officials said.

  • Decatur: 330 West Ponce de Leon Ave., Room A, Decatur (Directly across the street from the Wachovia Bank, closer to the Post Office)

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour and a half.

  • Lithonia Middle School: 2451 Randall Ave., Lithonia

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour.

  • DeKalb County Fire Headquarters: 1950 W. Exchange Place, Training Conference Room, Tucker

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour.

  • Liane Levetan Park at Brook Run: 4770 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour and three quarters.

  • South DeKalb Senior Center: 1931 Candler Road, Decatur

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was an hour and a half.


    FULTON COUNTY

    All offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Fulton County Government Center: 141 Pryor St., Suite 4064, Atlanta

    Update: At 4 p.m. wait times estimated at 2 hours.

  • North Fulton Service Center: 7741 Roswell Road, Room 209, Atlanta

    Update: Three-hour waits at noon, with a line voters wrapped around the building and limited parking. Voters said the process was going smoothly and most were prepared for the cold weather.

  • South Fulton Service Center: 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, Room 105, Atlanta

    Update: Three hour waits at 9:15 a.m., with several hundred people in line.

  • Adamsville Rec Center: 3201 M.L. King Jr. Drive S.W., Atlanta

    Update:Voters and pollworkers reported 1.5 hour waits at about 3 p.m. People waited inside, sitting on bleachers. A second wait area was set up in another room for the elderly and handicapped so they would not have to use any stairs.

  • Hembree Park: 850 Hembree Road, Roswell

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was about two and a half hours with about 450 people in line.

  • Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library: 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek

    Update: At 4 p.m., the wait was about two hours . Hundreds of people were in line and more were arriving.

  • Welcome All Park: 4255 Will Lee Road, Atlanta

    Update: Wait is about two hours at noon. Hundreds of people in line, but the voters are generally cheerful, prepared for the cold and the wait — some brought stadium chairs. Parking is extremely limited and voters are parking throughout the neighborhood.


    GWINNETT COUNTY
    The main office is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Satellite offices are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Gwinnett County Voter Registration and Elections office: 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200, Lawrenceville

  • Centerville Community Center: 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville

    Update: About 600 people were in line when doors opened, with the parking lot overflowing and many people parking on busy Bethany Church Road and in a neighboring subdivision.

  • Dacula Activity Building: 2735 Old Auburn Road, Dacula

  • George Pierce Community Center: 55 Buford Highway, Suwanee

    Update: More than 400 people were in line at about 4 p.m. The wait would be about three and a half hours, but the line was growing longer.

  • Singleton Road Activity Building: 5220 Singleton Road, Norcross

    Update: The wait time was estimated at one and a half hours at 4 p.m., but the line was growing longer. Poll workers got two more voting machines around midmorning, bringing the total to 14.


On November 4th find your local precinct here.


Read the AJC.com article about metro Atlanta wait times.

Read the AJC.com article about early voting in Georgia.

plez sez: voter turnout is expected to be HUGE on November 4th, vote early!

i'm taking my mother-in-law and her mother to early voting on Thursday morning.

BLOG UPDATE: 10/30/2008 1:00 PM - plezWorld took the mother-in-law and grandmother to vote at Adamsville Rec Center in Atlanta this morning. they had a special waiting area for senior citizens - as my mother-in-law is over 70 and her mother is in a wheelchair. all of the poll workers were nice and courteous, there were even some snacks (cookies, crackers, and bottled water) on the tables where we waited. the entire process took about 90 minutes.

i spoke with my mother (who lives in Virginia) earlier today... and she is taking advantage of early voting in her city, as well!




Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Obama-Biden 2008 in plezWorld


Photo courtesy of my Palm Treo 680


Seemingly growing out of a bed of poseys, my Obama-Biden 2008 yard sign stands tall. I sent this pic to Blogger.com over a week ago when the sign was freshly planted, but for some reason, it never posted. Must be part of that vast right-wing conspiracy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other news, the lines for early voting here in Georgia grow longer and longer. Some sites are reporting waits of 5 and 6 hours. One commenter on this blog noted a 4 hour wait up in Dacula. My business partner noted a 5 hour wait in Suwanee. A good friend said he waited two and a half hours to vote on Friday!

Today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a 2 to 3 hour wait to vote is the norm throughout the state. Read more...

More than 21 percent of eligible voters have cast their ballots in Georgia!

And CNN.com is reporting that long wait times for early voting is an affliction all over the United States. Very few states anticipated such a heavy turnout for this election. Read more...

Early voting trends are pointing towards a record turnout in this election. Read more...

plez sez: GET OUT AND VOTE!

and if the wait times are 2 to 3 hours for early voting, imagine how crazy it will be on November 4th... get out and vote early!




Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Barack Obama's Closing Argument in Canton, Ohio

On Monday afternoon, in Canton, Ohio, Sen. Barack Obama laid out in broad strokes the reasons why Americans should elect him as the 44th President of the United States. He told the voters that that after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he’d do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. But this is going to be a close race and the campaign must remain vigilant to win on November 4th.

Obama said, "We cannot let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have a lot of work to do. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does depend on it this week."

"Sen. McCain says that we can't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is to embrace the same old Bush-McCain policies that have failed us for the last eight years," Obama said.

Portions of Barack Obama's Closing Argument Speech:


Full Text of Obama's "One Week" Closing Argument Speech:

“One Week”
Closing Argument Speech
Monday, October 27th, 2008
Canton, Ohio

One week.

After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one week away from change in America.

In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In one week, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.

We began this journey in the depths of winter nearly two years ago, on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Back then, we didn't have much money or many endorsements. We weren't given much of a chance by the polls or the pundits, and we knew how steep our climb would be.

But I also knew this. I knew that the size of our challenges had outgrown the smallness of our politics. I believed that Democrats and Republicans and Americans of every political stripe were hungry for new ideas, new leadership, and a new kind of politics – one that favors common sense over ideology; one that focuses on those values and ideals we hold in common as Americans.

Most of all, I believed in your ability to make change happen. I knew that the American people were a decent, generous people who are willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. And I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are.

Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That's how we've come so far and so close – because of you. That's how we'll change this country – with your help. And that's why we can't afford to slow down, sit back, or let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Not when so much is at stake.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher. It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month.

At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess. They haven't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Now, Senator McCain has served this country honorably. And he can point to a few moments over the past eight years where he has broken from George Bush – on torture, for example. He deserves credit for that. But when it comes to the economy – when it comes to the central issue of this election – the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this President every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that spent us into debt. Calling for less regulation twenty-one times just this year. Those are the facts.

And now, after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. Senator McCain says that we can't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old Bush-McCain policies that have failed us for the last eight years.

It's not change when John McCain wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. It's not change when he wants to give $200 billion to the biggest corporations or $4 billion to the oil companies or $300 billion to the same Wall Street banks that got us into this mess. It's not change when he comes up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans. That's not change.

Look – we've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that “if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose.” That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book. Because that's how you play the game in Washington. If you can't beat your opponent's ideas, you distort those ideas and maybe make some up. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from. You make a big election about small things.

Ohio, we are here to say “Not this time. Not this year. Not when so much is at stake.” Senator McCain might be worried about losing an election, but I'm worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I can take one more week of John McCain's attacks, but this country can't take four more years of the same old politics and the same failed policies. It's time for something new.

The question in this election is not “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” We know the answer to that. The real question is, “Will this country be better off four years from now?”

I know these are difficult times for America. But I also know that we have faced difficult times before. The American story has never been about things coming easy – it's been about rising to the moment when the moment was hard. It's about seeing the highest mountaintop from the deepest of valleys. It's about rejecting fear and division for unity of purpose. That's how we've overcome war and depression. That's how we've won great struggles for civil rights and women's rights and worker's rights. And that's how we'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before – as one nation; as one people.

Remember, we still have the most talented, most productive workers of any country on Earth. We're still home to innovation and technology, colleges and universities that are the envy of the world. Some of the biggest ideas in history have come from our small businesses and our research facilities. So there's no reason we can't make this century another American century. We just need a new direction. We need a new politics.

Now, I don't believe that government can or should try to solve all our problems. I know you don't either. But I do believe that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves – protect us from harm and provide a decent education for our children; invest in new roads and new science and technology. It should reward drive and innovation and growth in the free market, but it should also make sure businesses live up to their responsibility to create American jobs, and look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road. It should ensure a shot at success not only for those with money and power and influence, but for every single American who's willing to work. That's how we create not just more millionaires, but more middle-class families. That's how we make sure businesses have customers that can afford their products and services. That's how we've always grown the American economy – from the bottom-up. John McCain calls this socialism. I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that.

Understand, if we want get through this crisis, we need to get beyond the old ideological debates and divides between left and right. We don't need bigger government or smaller government. We need a better government – a more competent government – a government that upholds the values we hold in common as Americans.

We don't have to choose between allowing our financial system to collapse and spending billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out Wall Street banks. As President, I will ensure that the financial rescue plan helps stop foreclosures and protects your money instead of enriching CEOs. And I will put in place the common-sense regulations I've been calling for throughout this campaign so that Wall Street can never cause a crisis like this again. That's the change we need.

The choice in this election isn't between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It's about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. I will give a tax break to 95% of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paychecks every week. I'll eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000 and give homeowners and working parents more of a break. And I'll help pay for this by asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s. No matter what Senator McCain may claim, here are the facts – if you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime – not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class.

When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or allowing every job to disappear overseas. The truth is, we won't be able to bring back every job that we've lost, but that doesn't mean we should follow John McCain's plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas. I will end those breaks as President, and I will give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create right here in the United States of America. I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-up companies that are the engine of job creation in this country. We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools, and by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade – jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs building the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow, not in Japan or South Korea but here in the United States of America; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again.

When it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run health care system and the unaffordable one we have now. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. We'll invest in preventative care and new technology to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy. And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most.

When it comes to giving every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, the choice is not between more money and more reform – because our schools need both. As President, I will invest in early childhood education, recruit an army of new teachers, pay them more, and give them more support. But I will also demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers and our schools. And I will make a deal with every American who has the drive and the will but not the money to go to college: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition. You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.

And when it comes to keeping this country safe, we don't have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It's time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As President, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy – especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we can afford to do without. On this, there is no other choice. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don't need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.

But as I've said from the day we began this journey all those months ago, the change we need isn't just about new programs and policies. It's about a new politics – a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts; one that reminds us of the obligations we have to ourselves and one another.

Part of the reason this economic crisis occurred is because we have been living through an era of profound irresponsibility. On Wall Street, easy money and an ethic of “what's good for me is good enough” blinded greedy executives to the danger in the decisions they were making. On Main Street, lenders tricked people into buying homes they couldn't afford. Some folks knew they couldn't afford those houses and bought them anyway. In Washington, politicians spent money they didn't have and allowed lobbyists to set the agenda. They scored political points instead of solving our problems, and even after the greatest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, all we were asked to do by our President was to go out and shop.

That is why what we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. That's what's been lost these last eight years – our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose. And that's what we need to restore right now.

Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.

In this election, we cannot afford the same political games and tactics that are being used to pit us against one another and make us afraid of one another. The stakes are too high to divide us by class and region and background; by who we are or what we believe.

Because despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else – we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America – they have served the United States of America.

It won't be easy, Ohio. It won't be quick. But you and I know that it is time to come together and change this country. Some of you may be cynical and fed up with politics. A lot of you may be disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what has been asked of Americans throughout our history.

I ask you to believe – not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours.

I know this change is possible. Because I have seen it over the last twenty-one months. Because in this campaign, I have had the privilege to witness what is best in America.

I've seen it in lines of voters that stretched around schools and churches; in the young people who cast their ballot for the first time, and those not so young folks who got involved again after a very long time. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb. I've seen it in the faces of the men and women I've met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams.

I still remember the email that a woman named Robyn sent me after I met her in Ft. Lauderdale. Sometime after our event, her son nearly went into cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a heart condition that could only be treated with a procedure that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Her insurance company refused to pay, and their family just didn't have that kind of money.

In her email, Robyn wrote, “I ask only this of you – on the days where you feel so tired you can't think of uttering another word to the people, think of us. When those who oppose you have you down, reach deep and fight back harder.”

Ohio, that's what hope is – that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better is waiting around the bend; that insists there are better days ahead. If we're willing to work for it. If we're willing to shed our fears and our doubts. If we're willing to reach deep down inside ourselves when we're tired and come back fighting harder.

Hope! That's what kept some of our parents and grandparents going when times were tough. What led them to say, “Maybe I can't go to college, but if I save a little bit each week my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but if I work really hard my child can open one of her own.” It's what led immigrants from distant lands to come to these shores against great odds and carve a new life for their families in America; what led those who couldn't vote to march and organize and stand for freedom; that led them to cry out, “It may look dark tonight, but if I hold on to hope, tomorrow will be brighter.”

That's what this election is about. That is the choice we face right now.

Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does.

In one week, we can choose an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs and fuels prosperity from the bottom-up.

In one week, we can choose to invest in health care for our families, and education for our kids, and renewable energy for our future.

In one week, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.

In one week, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history.

That's what's at stake. That's what we're fighting for. And if in this last week, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and talk to your neighbors, and convince your friends; if you will stand with me, and fight with me, and give me your vote, then I promise you this – we will not just win Ohio, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

###


Read the CNN.com article about the last week of Barack Obama's campaign for president here and here.


plez sez: BARACK OBAMA made his case for president while continuing to link john mccain to george bush.

we are one week away from changing AMERICA and plezWorld!




Monday, October 27, 2008

Unintended Consequences - Nebraska's Safe Haven Law

Nicolas Poussin's 'Pharaoh's Daughter Finds Baby Moses'. 1638.
plezWorld Post Artwork: Nicolas Poussin. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds Baby Moses. 1638. Oil on canvas. Louvre, Paris, France.

Wikipedia definies a "Safe Haven" Law, also known in some states as "Baby Moses" law, as the popular name for United States' laws that decriminalize leaving unharmed infants with statutorily designated private persons so that the child becomes a ward of the state. "Safe Haven" laws typically let parents remain nameless to the court, often using a numbered bracelet system as the only means of linking the baby to the mother.

Well, earlier this year, the state of Nebraska went one step further to extend their "safe haven" law to protect parents of children as old as 18 years of age! Parents can drop abandon their kids (and teens) at a hospital with no questions asked. Parents at their wits end are dumping their kids at Nebraska hospitals, many even crossing state lines to do so.

CNN.com reports that Nebraska's "safe haven" law, intended to allow parents to anonymously hand over an infant to a hospital without being prosecuted, isn't working out as planned. As of early October 2008, of the 17 children relinquished since the law took effect in July, only four are younger than 10 -- and all four are among the nine siblings abandoned by one man on September 24 at an Omaha hospital.

Over this past weekend, a 12-year-old boy was dropped off at Bryan Lincoln General Hospital East by his mother. The Lincoln Police Department said the boy's mother told police she was unable to discipline her son and dropped him off just before 10pm... she had driven to Lincoln, Nebraska from Smyrna, Georgia (over 1,000 miles away)! This boy is the 20th child to be dropped off under the Safe Haven law since the law went in effect this past July.

Gov. Dave Heineman laments the abuse of the law, "The few situations we've seen so far demonstrate the need for a change in Nebraska's safe haven law. In the coming legislative session, I will advocate for changes that put the focus back on protecting an infant in danger. That should be our priority."

All 50 states have safe haven laws, but only Nebraska's lacks an age limit. Most states let parents and guardians drop off children up to a month old at hospitals or other safe places. Sixteen states including Georgia have the 3-day-old age cap.

Nebraska's part-time Legislature is adjourned until January, but two state legislative committees will hold a joint hearing November 13 to discuss a remedy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Channel 7 (KETV in Omaha) has a number of articles on kids dropped off under the "safe haven" law here and here and here.

Read the AJC.com article about the mother who drove from Georgia to Nebraska to dump her son.

Read the CNN.com article about unintended consequences of Nebraska's "safe haven" law.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

plez sez: wow! talk about abdicating one's parental responsibility! waiting 10 or 12 years before finding a state dumb enough to take your "mistake" off of your hands!

one dude dropped off NINE kids after his wife died! i wonder if those hellions played a part in her death?!?

...just asking.

and what about the lady who drove over 1,000 miles from georgia to be rid of her adolescent nightmare? it would serve her ass right if the nebraska authorities put his bad ass on a greyhound bus that met her in georgia a few hours after she got home!

something tells me that the lawmakers in nebraska were only planning on housing, feeding, and caring for the offspring of legal residents... and i know they had not planned on getting all of these kids who've already started growing body hair.

the nebraska legislature needs to fix this law QUICK! i cannot think of a state in the union that is equipped to handle the physical and mental turmoil that these kids must be going through to be abandoned by their parents as soon as it is legally possible for them to do so! how long would it be before parents just dropped their kids off on the state while they take a vacation in the caribbean? and then come back in a few weeks to claim custody... without fear of legal ramifications and without the financial cost feeding and housing a growing teenager!

hmmmm... that gives me an idea about a low cost alternative for my daughter when my wife and i go to Paris to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary!




Sunday, October 26, 2008

Sarah Palin, Rogue Veep Candidate

There's 9 or 10 days until Election Day... the days are getting longer, the nights shorter, nerves are frayed, and the inevitable tension between Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) are becoming more and more evident on the campaign trail. Key aides and advisors for both campaigns have begun to confide in the media covering the candidates as to the growing rift between them.

In an MSNBC interview with Chris Matthews (on MSNBC's "Hardball"), Chuck Todd revealed that he felt a tension between McCain and Palin when they sat down for an interview with NBC News' Brian Williams. Todd stated, "I couldn't see chemistry between John McCain and Sarah Palin. I felt as if we grabbed two people and said 'here, sit next to each other, we are going to conduct an interview.' They are not comfortable with each other..."

A CNN.com article reports that several McCain advisers are frustrated with "Palin going rogue." A Palin aide is reported as saying, "[Palin] is simply trying to 'bust free' [from] what she believes was a damaging and mismanaged [introduction to the public]."

McCain sources say that Palin has repeated gone off message, and are beginning to wonder if the incidents are deliberate.
  • She has labeled the robocalls that the McCain has deployed as "irritating," even though she recorded a number of them.

  • She told reporters that she disagreed with the Mccain campaign's decision to pull out of Michigan a few weeks, stating that she and her husband would gladly campaign there.

  • One McCain advisor has that she appears to be looking out for herself... looking ahead to running for President in 2012 rather than Vice President in 2008!


A McCain advisor stated, "She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone. ...also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom."

A Palin aide has acknowledged that she is trying to take more control of her message, pointing to last week's impromptu news conference on a Colorado Springs tarmac. Tracey Schmitt, Palin's press secretary, was urgently called over after Palin wandered over to the press and started talking. Schmitt tried in vain to end the unscheduled session.

Politico.com released an article that underlines the growing tension between the two candidates. Palin's aides put the blame squarely on Steve Schmidt, McCain's chief strategist, and Nicole Wallace, a former Bush aide who took a lead role in Palin's campaign. Palin's people blame mainly Wallace for having Palin avoid the media for days and then securing the that high-stakes disaster with CBS News' Katie Couric. It appears that Wallace did not have Palin's best interest at heart seeing that he left CBS to join the McCain campaign!

But a number of McCain aides defend the Wallace decision saying that Palin was "simply unready - 'green,' sloppy, and incomprehensibly willing to criticize McCain."

And after the ABC News fiasco with Charlie Gibson, the follow-up fiasco with CBS News' Katie Couric, and then the weekly lampoon and caricature of Palin by Tina Fey on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," it appears that Palin has decided that the only one who is gonna watch out for Sarah is Sarah!

The Politico.com article cites when Palin went "rogue":
When a McCain aide, speaking anonymously Friday to The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, suggested that Palin's charge that [Sen. Barack] Obama was "palling around with terrorists" had "escaped HQ's vetting," it was Scheunemann who fired off an angry response that the speech was "fully vetted" and that to attack Palin for it was "bullshit."

Palin's "instincts," on display in recent days, have had her opening up to the media, including a round of interviews on talk radio, cable and broadcast outlets, as well as chats with her traveling press and local reporters.

Reporters really began to notice the change last Sunday, when Palin strolled over to a local television crew in Colorado Springs.

"Get Tracey," a staffer called out, according to The New York Times, summoning spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt, who reportedly "tried several times to cut it off with a terse 'Thank you!' in between questions, to no avail." The moment may have caused ulcers in some precincts of the McCain campaign, but it was an account Palin's admirers in Washington cheered.

Palin had also sought to give meatier policy speeches, in particular on energy policy and on policy for children with disabilities; she finally gave the latter speech Friday, but had wanted to deliver it much earlier.

She's also begun to make her own ad hoc calls about the campaign's direction and the ticket's policy. McCain, for instance, has remained silent on Democrats' calls for a stimulus package of new spending, a move many conservatives oppose but that could be broadly popular. But in an interview with the conservative radio host Glenn Beck earlier this week, Palin went "off the reservation" to make the campaign policy, one aide said.

"I say, you know, when is enough enough of taxpayer dollars being thrown into this bill out there?" she asked. "This next one of the Democrats being proposed should be very, very concerning to all Americans because to me it sends a message that $700 billion bailout, maybe that was just the tip of the iceberg. No, you know, we were told when we've got to be believing if we have enough elected officials who are going to be standing strong on fiscal conservative principles and free enterprise and we have to believe that there are enough of those elected officials to say, 'No, OK, that's enough.'"

~ ~ ~
But few imagine that Palin will be able to repair her image — and bad poll numbers — in the eleven days before the campaign ends. And the final straw for Palin and her allies was the news that the campaign had reported spending $150,000 on her clothes, turning her, again, into the butt of late-night humor.

"She never even set foot in these stores," the senior Republican said, noting Palin hadn't realized the cost when the clothes were brought to her in her Minnesota hotel room.

"It's completely out-of-control operatives," said the close ally outside the campaign. "She has no responsibility for that. It's incredibly frustrating for us and for her."

Between Palin's internal detractors and her allies, there's a middle ground: Some aides say that she's a flawed candidate whose handling exaggerated her weak spots.

"She was completely mishandled in the beginning. No one took the time to look at what her personal strengths and weaknesses are and developed a plan that made sense based on who she is as a candidate," the aide said. "Any concerns she or those close to her have about that are totally valid."

But the aide said that Palin's inexperience led her to her own mistakes:

"How she was handled allowed her weaknesses to hang out in full display."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Read the Politico.com article about Rogue Sarah.

Read the CNN.com article about Sarah Palin's rogue streak.

Read the New York Times article about how Sarah Palin likes a good fight.

Read the New York Times article about Sarah Palin's high-priced makeup artist.

plez sez: go on with yo' bad self, sarah palin! something tells plezWorld that we haven't seen the last of "artic blast" palin!

mccain exercised poor judgement in being swayed by whatever forces swayed him into picking palin. he will go to his grave blaming her clueless ass for his loss! but it is his fault... his legacy will be being a bitter two-time loser (first to George W. Bush in 2000 and then to Barack Obama in 2008 - that skinny Black guy with the funny name and a Teflon coating) and she'll be back on the republican's radar in 2 years!

she'll probably re-invent herself for a 2012 run at the white house. considering the considerable vacuum in the party that bush (and mccain) have created, the party faithful will be looking for a conservative ideologue to "right the ship" and steer the party on a path to victory over Obama and the democrats during the 2012 election cycle. actually, she may have to hit the campaign trail to stay relevant during the 2010 midterm elections.

i'm assuming that Obama is going to win the white house. if he is unable to appear in charge of the economic recovery over the next 12 months OR if he has trouble taking care of all of the trouble in the middle east (iraq, afghanistan, and iran) over the next 24 months, then there will be a clear path for the conservatives to regain power in washington, dc.




Saturday, October 25, 2008

Barack Obama en Español

Politico.com reports that a Spanish-language blog (La Opinion) in Los Angeles has Barack Obama's first ad directed to the Latino community... en español!

Barack Obama Courts the Latino Vote in California


La Opinion blog entry
Obama busca conectar con los latinos, en español

Este comercial de Barack Obama, donde este habla completamente en español va a salir al aire en los próximos días. Es la primera vez que Obama graba un comercial en español y según parece, el objetivo es dar una imagen más cercana a los latinos que todavía puedan tener un déficit de entusiasmo por su candidatura y estimularlos a votar. Tanto Obama como su contrincante republicano John McCain han usado comerciales en español, pero siempre con un locutor, no con ellos mismos hablando el idioma, aunque sea como en este caso, una repetición fonética.

En todo caso, la pronunciación no está nada mal. Peor era la de Bush, y eso que el sí machuca el idioma un poco.


Read the La Opinion blog entry here (in Spanish).

Read the Politico.com article about Obama's first ad in Spanish here (in English).


plez sez: i took three years of high school Spanish, i was even the President of my school's Spanish Honor Society! but those classes and lessons (taught by Ms. Brown... or Señora Moreno, as we would call her) are a distant memory in plezWorld.

i have no idea what Obama says in the ad and i can pick out a few words here and there in the La Opinion article... but he's got my vote!




Friday, October 24, 2008

Early Voting in Raleigh, NC - Guest Blog

The following is a reproduction of an e-mail that I received on my fraternity's private e-mail distribution listserver a few days ago. The author joined our fraternity in the mid-1950's on the campus of Virginia State College in the small city of Petersburg, Virginia. The following post (with permission from Dr. Michael V. W. Gordon, Professor Emeritus, Indiana University) recounts his journey to take advantage of early voting in Raleigh, North Carolina... and his struggle to get the right to vote in 1960.

Aretha Franklin "A Change Is Gonna Come"


This song was written and recorded by Sam Cooke during the height of the Civil Rights Movement after he was moved at hearing Bob Dylan's ode to the movement, "Blowin' in the Wind." It is reported that after speaking with sit-in demonstrators in Durham, North Carolina following a concert in May 1963, Cooke returned to his tour bus and wrote the first draft of what would become "A Change Is Gonna Come."

I selected this version of the song to accompany Dr. Gordon's story because I love the old gospel feel of Aretha Franklin's soulful singing and the music (the organ wailing in the background holding up Aretha's heartfelt turn at the piano) in contrast to the equally lush and mythical orchestration (with strings and horns) of Sam Cooke's version. AND this is the version of the song that plezWorld grew up listening to on my parents' stereo.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The First Day Of Early Voting In Raleigh, NC
Dr. MICHAEL V W GORDON
Posted: October 22, 2008

We arrived early last Thursday, October 16th and already about 300 people were in line at the polling place. My brother-in-law, who just recently had hip replacement surgery, my sister, and me - who will be having ankle replacement surgery - went to the assisted voting area for the handicapped. Can you imagine?

We were assisted by very able poll workers, like this one.

Guess who I voted for? Should I vote the straight ticket? All right, lefty.

Dr. Gordon's Ballot

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!


Young Dr. GordonThe reason I say, "We have come a long way, baby" is that sitting there waiting for my ballot to be brought to me, I reflected on the first time I voted back in 1960 in Petersburg, Virginia. After studying ROTC at Virginia State College (now University) and graduating in 1957, I served for two years as an officer in the Army, mainly in the 101st Airborne Division.

When I returned to Petersburg in 1959, I had an unusual administrative experience for a small town African American guy. I was appointed as part-time Assistant Principal at the newly built, Westview Elementary School.

The president of the PTA there that year was the Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker. Rev. Walker, along with some other young ministers in Petersburg started a civil rights organization to make Petersburg better. It was called the Petersburg Improvement Association. The Petersburg Improvement Association led many sit-ins and other protest activities against racial segregation laws there. Many were arrested. Many lost their jobs.

This movement gained the attention of the young, Reverend MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., who visited our city many times and assisted us. He was so impressed with Wyatt Tee Walker, that eventually he took him back to Atlanta as his Chief of Staff.

But as we were studying to register African Americans to vote, Martin Luther King would come with his staff to teach us techniques for getting that job done. MLK would drive in late at night and leave during the night because it was dangerous for him to be seen in that area. We had heard that an assistant principal in an area not far from us had been taken out of his home and lynched.

You see, this was before the Civil Rights Act of 1965 that removed the artificial and deliberate obstacles the segregationists devised to keep blacks from exercising voting power.We had the poll tax, which required paying a fee for the privilege of voting and we had the "literacy" test.

That was administered in Petersburg by asking the prospective voter something about government that they expected an educated voter to know. Also, you need to know that all whites did not support this apartheid system of government. We had someone in the voter registration office, who was white, who told us the question in advance which we would be asked.

That question was changed periodically to keep blacks from knowing too much in advance. We had study sessions at night at the church and some of us were trained to "pass" and some were trained to "fail". The reason for this was that if we all passed it would look suspicious.

Since I was the part-time Assistant Principal of the elementary school and an officer in the United States Army Reserve, they believed that I was among those who would not cause so much suspicion if I "passed".

So we set about the task of memorizing the answer to the question which we had been presented in "secret". I'll never forget that day when I was to report to the Petersburg Court House for my "examination".

After waiting a good while, I was ushered into an office and confronted by a surly, burly white man, "What do you want, boy?"

"I want to register to vote," I replied.

"I will ask you a question. Can you recite from memory the Third Article of The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Fa-jin-ja (his pronunciation of Virginia)?

So, I recited what I had carefully memorized over the previous two weeks:
    ARTICLE III The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia

    Division of Powers

    Section 1. Departments to be distinct.The legislative, executive, and judicial departments shall be separate and distinct, so that none exercise the powers properly belonging to the others, nor any person exercise the power of more than one of them at the same time; provided, however, administrative agencies may be created by the General Assembly with such authority and duties as the General Assembly may prescribe.

    Provisions may be made for judicial review of any finding, order, or judgment of such administrative agencies.

And that is the way it was then.

I got my registration card in 1960.

I voted for John F. Kennedy for President of the United States of America!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

plez sez: i thank Dr. Gordon for trusting plezWorld with his story.

both of my parents were born and raised in segregated north carolina: denied an adequate education, fair wages, health care, and an opportunity to vote. my parents did not get to vote until they moved our family to new york in the mid-1950's. i have an aunt (my mother's 95-year old sister) who will be taking advantage of early voting in ahoskie, north carolia... like dr. gordon, my aunt will be voting from the handicapped area for BARACK OBAMA!

another commonality with dr. gordon is my second oldest brother, he also graduated from virginia state college in petersburg in 1979 - a full 20 years after dr. gordon returned there to teach. i spoke with my brother earlier this week, he lives in southern california. like dr. gordon, my aunt, and me, my brother will be voting for BARACK OBAMA!




Thursday, October 23, 2008

New York Times: Barack Obama for President

After endorsing New York Senator Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee and John McCain as the Republican nominee back during the primary season, the New York Times has now endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for President.

A recurring theme was McCain's judgement in the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. The endorsement speaks of Palin as being "so evidently unfit for the office" as one of the many reasons why they are backing Obama for President.

The entire New York Times endorsement of Barack Obama:

Barack Obama for President


Published: October 23, 2008

Hyperbole is the currency of presidential campaigns, but this year the nation’s future truly hangs in the balance.

The United States is battered and drifting after eight years of President Bush’s failed leadership. He is saddling his successor with two wars, a scarred global image and a government systematically stripped of its ability to protect and help its citizens — whether they are fleeing a hurricane’s floodwaters, searching for affordable health care or struggling to hold on to their homes, jobs, savings and pensions in the midst of a financial crisis that was foretold and preventable.

As tough as the times are, the selection of a new president is easy. After nearly two years of a grueling and ugly campaign, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has proved that he is the right choice to be the 44th president of the United States.

Mr. Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change. He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation’s problems.

In the same time, Senator John McCain of Arizona has retreated farther and farther to the fringe of American politics, running a campaign on partisan division, class warfare and even hints of racism. His policies and worldview are mired in the past. His choice of a running mate so evidently unfit for the office was a final act of opportunism and bad judgment that eclipsed the accomplishments of 26 years in Congress.

Given the particularly ugly nature of Mr. McCain’s campaign, the urge to choose on the basis of raw emotion is strong. But there is a greater value in looking closely at the facts of life in America today and at the prescriptions the candidates offer. The differences are profound.

Mr. McCain offers more of the Republican every-man-for-himself ideology, now lying in shards on Wall Street and in Americans’ bank accounts. Mr. Obama has another vision of government’s role and responsibilities.

In his convention speech in Denver, Mr. Obama said, “Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.”

Since the financial crisis, he has correctly identified the abject failure of government regulation that has brought the markets to the brink of collapse.


The Economy

The American financial system is the victim of decades of Republican deregulatory and anti-tax policies. Those ideas have been proved wrong at an unfathomable price, but Mr. McCain — a self-proclaimed “foot soldier in the Reagan revolution” — is still a believer.

Mr. Obama sees that far-reaching reforms will be needed to protect Americans and American business.

Mr. McCain talks about reform a lot, but his vision is pinched. His answer to any economic question is to eliminate pork-barrel spending — about $18 billion in a $3 trillion budget — cut taxes and wait for unfettered markets to solve the problem.

Mr. Obama is clear that the nation’s tax structure must be changed to make it fairer. That means the well-off Americans who have benefited disproportionately from Mr. Bush’s tax cuts will have to pay some more. Working Americans, who have seen their standard of living fall and their children’s options narrow, will benefit. Mr. Obama wants to raise the minimum wage and tie it to inflation, restore a climate in which workers are able to organize unions if they wish and expand educational opportunities.

Mr. McCain, who once opposed President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy as fiscally irresponsible, now wants to make them permanent. And while he talks about keeping taxes low for everyone, his proposed cuts would overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent of Americans while digging the country into a deeper fiscal hole.


National Security

The American military — its people and equipment — is dangerously overstretched. Mr. Bush has neglected the necessary war in Afghanistan, which now threatens to spiral into defeat. The unnecessary and staggeringly costly war in Iraq must be ended as quickly and responsibly as possible.

While Iraq’s leaders insist on a swift drawdown of American troops and a deadline for the end of the occupation, Mr. McCain is still taking about some ill-defined “victory.” As a result, he has offered no real plan for extracting American troops and limiting any further damage to Iraq and its neighbors.

Mr. Obama was an early and thoughtful opponent of the war in Iraq, and he has presented a military and diplomatic plan for withdrawing American forces. Mr. Obama also has correctly warned that until the Pentagon starts pulling troops out of Iraq, there will not be enough troops to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Mr. McCain, like Mr. Bush, has only belatedly focused on Afghanistan’s dangerous unraveling and the threat that neighboring Pakistan may quickly follow.

Mr. Obama would have a learning curve on foreign affairs, but he has already showed sounder judgment than his opponent on these critical issues. His choice of Senator Joseph Biden — who has deep foreign-policy expertise — as his running mate is another sign of that sound judgment. Mr. McCain’s long interest in foreign policy and the many dangers this country now faces make his choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska more irresponsible.

Both presidential candidates talk about strengthening alliances in Europe and Asia, including NATO, and strongly support Israel. Both candidates talk about repairing America’s image in the world. But it seems clear to us that Mr. Obama is far more likely to do that — and not just because the first black president would present a new American face to the world.

Mr. Obama wants to reform the United Nations, while Mr. McCain wants to create a new entity, the League of Democracies — a move that would incite even fiercer anti-American furies around the world.

Unfortunately, Mr. McCain, like Mr. Bush, sees the world as divided into friends (like Georgia) and adversaries (like Russia). He proposed kicking Russia out of the Group of 8 industrialized nations even before the invasion of Georgia. We have no sympathy for Moscow’s bullying, but we also have no desire to replay the cold war. The United States must find a way to constrain the Russians’ worst impulses, while preserving the ability to work with them on arms control and other vital initiatives.

Both candidates talk tough on terrorism, and neither has ruled out military action to end Iran’s nuclear weapons program. But Mr. Obama has called for a serious effort to try to wean Tehran from its nuclear ambitions with more credible diplomatic overtures and tougher sanctions. Mr. McCain’s willingness to joke about bombing Iran was frightening.


The Constitution and the Rule of Law

Under Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the justice system and the separation of powers have come under relentless attack. Mr. Bush chose to exploit the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the moment in which he looked like the president of a unified nation, to try to place himself above the law.

Mr. Bush has arrogated the power to imprison men without charges and browbeat Congress into granting an unfettered authority to spy on Americans. He has created untold numbers of “black” programs, including secret prisons and outsourced torture. The president has issued hundreds, if not thousands, of secret orders. We fear it will take years of forensic research to discover how many basic rights have been violated.

Both candidates have renounced torture and are committed to closing the prison camp in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

But Mr. Obama has gone beyond that, promising to identify and correct Mr. Bush’s attacks on the democratic system. Mr. McCain has been silent on the subject.

Mr. McCain improved protections for detainees. But then he helped the White House push through the appalling Military Commissions Act of 2006, which denied detainees the right to a hearing in a real court and put Washington in conflict with the Geneva Conventions, greatly increasing the risk to American troops.

The next president will have the chance to appoint one or more justices to a Supreme Court that is on the brink of being dominated by a radical right wing. Mr. Obama may appoint less liberal judges than some of his followers might like, but Mr. McCain is certain to pick rigid ideologues. He has said he would never appoint a judge who believes in women’s reproductive rights.


The Candidates

It will be an enormous challenge just to get the nation back to where it was before Mr. Bush, to begin to mend its image in the world and to restore its self-confidence and its self-respect. Doing all of that, and leading America forward, will require strength of will, character and intellect, sober judgment and a cool, steady hand.

Mr. Obama has those qualities in abundance. Watching him being tested in the campaign has long since erased the reservations that led us to endorse Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic primaries. He has drawn in legions of new voters with powerful messages of hope and possibility and calls for shared sacrifice and social responsibility.

Mr. McCain, whom we chose as the best Republican nominee in the primaries, has spent the last coins of his reputation for principle and sound judgment to placate the limitless demands and narrow vision of the far-right wing. His righteous fury at being driven out of the 2000 primaries on a racist tide aimed at his adopted daughter has been replaced by a zealous embrace of those same win-at-all-costs tactics and tacticians.

He surrendered his standing as an independent thinker in his rush to embrace Mr. Bush’s misbegotten tax policies and to abandon his leadership position on climate change and immigration reform.

Mr. McCain could have seized the high ground on energy and the environment. Earlier in his career, he offered the first plausible bill to control America’s emissions of greenhouse gases. Now his positions are a caricature of that record: think Ms. Palin leading chants of “drill, baby, drill.”

Mr. Obama has endorsed some offshore drilling, but as part of a comprehensive strategy including big investments in new, clean technologies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Mr. Obama has withstood some of the toughest campaign attacks ever mounted against a candidate. He’s been called un-American and accused of hiding a secret Islamic faith. The Republicans have linked him to domestic terrorists and questioned his wife’s love of her country. Ms. Palin has also questioned millions of Americans’ patriotism, calling Republican-leaning states “pro-America.”

This politics of fear, division and character assassination helped Mr. Bush drive Mr. McCain from the 2000 Republican primaries and defeat Senator John Kerry in 2004. It has been the dominant theme of his failed presidency.

The nation’s problems are simply too grave to be reduced to slashing “robo-calls” and negative ads. This country needs sensible leadership, compassionate leadership, honest leadership and strong leadership. Barack Obama has shown that he has all of those qualities.


Read the New York Times article about Barack Obama for President here.

plez sez: once again, i take these endorsements with a grain of salt... they do not hold sway with me and my decision as to who i will cast my vote for.

but they are important inasmuch that they speak to how the endorsed candidate is perceived in the various communities when held up against his/her opponent. my perception of BARACK OBAMA pretty closely mirrors that of the New York Times editorial staff.




RNC to Palin: "Let Me Upgrade Your Wardrobe"

Look at this picture of Gov. Sarah Palin (in her Alaska governor days); she's loping around Juneau with her hair looking all crazy in that dog-tired brown warmup jacket and a pair of moose-skin boots. Fast forward to her appearances as Sen. John McCain's number two; see the flashy high-end shoes, upgraded and stylish outfits, expensive looking leather jacket. Hmmmm... something happened between then and now... something big... something with a bunch of zeros after it!

It has been reported by Politico.com that the Republican National Committee (RNC) has spent more than $150,000 on fashionable clothes for Sarah Palin since she was named McCain's running mate. Yeah, all those Joe Six-Packs and hockey moms and Joe the Plumbers out there who make a fraction of that in one year, the ones who've been watching their 401(k)'s disappear like water swirling in the bowl after a successful visit by Joe the Plumber have been hootin' and hollerin' for a woman who has spent double or triple their income in clothes over the past seven weeks.

And mind you, she hasn't been shopping in Sears, or Steinmart, or Wal-Mart, or JC Penney, or Belk like the everyday people she claims to represent. No, Ms. Palin has been ringing the registers in places like Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan (to the tune of $49,425) and Neiman-Marcus in Minneapolis (at $75,062). Now I'm sure the McCain campaign wanted to spruce her up from her velour jogging suits and ratty house dresses that she wore in Wasilla, AK, but spending $150,000 on someone who would only be campaigning for little more than 10 weeks? That comes out to about $15,000 a week... just for clothes! Just imagine what its costing to fuel that jet that has her jumping from swing state to swing state?

Politico.com goes into detail with the expenditures:
According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

September payments were also made to Barney’s New York ($789.72) and Bloomingdale’s New York ($5,102.71).

Macy’s in Minneapolis, another store fortunate enough to be situated in the Twin Cities that hosted last summer’s Republican National Convention, received three separate payments totaling $9,447.71.

The entries also show two purchases at Pacifier, a top-notch baby store, suggesting $196 was spent to accommodate the littlest Palin to join the campaign trail.

An additional $4,902.45 was spent in early September at Atelier, a high-class shopping destination for men.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission's long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

Politico asked the McCain campaign for comment on Monday, explicitly noting the $150,000 in expenses for department store shopping and makeup consultation that were incurred immediately after Palin’s announcement. Pre-September reports do not include similar costs.

Spokeswoman Maria Comella declined to answer specific questions about the expenditures, including whether it was necessary to spend that much and whether it amounted to one early investment in Palin or if shopping for the vice presidential nominee was ongoing.

“The campaign does not comment on strategic decisions regarding how financial resources available to the campaign are spent," she said.
But hours after the story was posted on Politico's website and legal issues were raised, the campaign issued a new statement.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The business of primping and dressing on the campaign trail has become fraught with political risk in recent years as voters increasingly see an elite Washington out of touch with their values and lifestyles.

In 2000, Democrat Al Gore took heat for changing his clothing hues. And in 2006, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was ribbed for two hair styling sessions that cost about $3,000.

Then, there was Democrat John Edwards’ $400 hair cuts in 2007 and Republican McCain’s $520 black leather Ferragamo shoes this year.

A review of similar records for the campaign of Democrat Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee turned up no similar spending.

But all the spending by other candidates pales in comparison to the GOP outlay for the Alaska governor whose expensive, designer outfits have been the topic of fashion pages and magazines.


Read the entire Politico.com article about Palin's wardrobe upgrade here.

Read the New York Times article about Palin's clothes here.

Read Campbell Brown's opinion piece on CNN.com that forgives Palin's new wardrobe here.


plez sez: even plezWife - the stylista that she is - has been impressed with the outfits of the "new" sarah palin (but she's not a fan of the red leather jacket). until yesterday, i had argued that she was just a stylish woman who i didn't happen to agree with politically... my wife insisted that they had given palin the "eliza doolittle" treatment after she was picked as mccain's running mate... i guess my wife wins this argument.

the RNC did say that they would give the clothes to charity, but to my way of thinking, stuff from neiman-marcus (or "needless-markup") isn't very functional and may lead to riot conditions at the wasilla salvation army!

plezWorld thinks she should just keep the new and extravagant clothes as payment for being made an ass of as john mccain's running mate, when he knew damn well after 2 minutes of talking to the bimbo that she wasn't qualified to be his (or anyone's) vice president - right, carly fiorina?

i know that if she keeps the clothes, they'll be taxed as income. but like Beyonce', the RNC said, "Sarah baby, let me UPGRADE U!"

...and sarah palin did a marie antoinette, "let those hockey moms eat cake!"

"Upgrade U" - Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
(C) 2007 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT



"UPGRADE U (Palin Mix)"

[Palin] let me upgrade U, flip a new page
Introduce U to some new things and
Upgrade U, I can up, can I up, let me upgrade U
[Palin] let me upgrade U

U sure to see stars, this is high level, not eye level
My bezel courtesy of Audemars
I'll Orders yours tomorrow now, look at the time I saved U
Mama let me upgrade U

Just when U think U had it all
Big ends, car notes, collectin' cars
Picture your life elevated with me
Make U my project celebrity
I'll keep your name HOT in the streets

[Palin] let me upgrade U, flip a new page
Introduce U to some new things and
Upgrade U, I can up, can I up, let me upgrade U
[Palin] let me upgrade U






Wednesday, October 22, 2008

12 Percent Have Used Early Voting in Georgia

As of this past Friday, about 12 percent of Georgia’s registered voters have cast ballots in the presidential election.

Each day, the volume of voters at county elections offices grows. plezWorld voted during the first week of early voting in DeKalb County and I had a wait time of about 2 to 3 minutes. plezWife voted a week ago and her wait time was about 45 minutes. This week, it is reported that the wait times are over 2 hours for early voting in DeKalb County with people lined up before the office opens in the morning!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that on Friday alone, more than 55,000 people voted statewide which was an increase from the 50,400 who voted on Thursday. The numbers have increased each day. In the large metro Atlanta county offices, the wait is at least an hour all day.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s voting in Georgia:
  • Number of ballots cast by close of business Friday Oct. 17: 691,507

  • Total number of registered voters as of Oct. 1: 5,598,425

  • Early voting turnout: Approximately 12.5 percent

  • Number of ballots voted in person: 594,890

  • Number of mail-in ballots returned: 96,617

    Turnout demographics

  • Black: 246,113; 35.5 percent

  • White: 420,047; 60.7 percent

  • All Others: less than 5 percent

    Top 5 Georgia counties (by early voter turnout)

  1. DeKalb 68,091

  2. Fulton 50,050

  3. Gwinnett 37,613

  4. Cobb 37,277

  5. Chatham 21,251


The last day for early voting in Georgia is Friday, October 31, 2008.

Early Voting Locations in Georgia (by County)
    Appling
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Appling County Board of Registrar Office, Suite 205 (2nd Floor Annex): 69 Tippins Street, Baxley, GA 912-367-5376

    Atkinson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse: 19 Roberts Avenue West, Pearson, GA 31642 912-422-3552

    Bacon
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    232 West 12th Street, Alma, GA 31510 912-632-5551

    Baker
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Baker County Courthouse, Commissioners Chamber: 167 Baker Place, Newton, GA 39870 229-734-3010

    Baldwin
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Baldwin County Courthouse, Hearing Room 104: 121 North Wilkinson Street,Milledgeville, GA 478-445-4526
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30-7:00pm
    Registrar's Office, Room 102: 121 North Wilkinson Street, Milledgeville, GA 478-445-4526

    Banks
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Banks County Annex Building, Registrar's Office: 150 Hudson Ridge, Homer, GA 706-677-6260

    Barrow
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm & October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    County Administration Building: 233 East Broad Street, Winder, GA 770-307-3110

    Bartow
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Cartersville Civic Center: 435 West Main Street, Cartersville, GA 770-387-5098
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Bartow County Registration: 105 North Bartow Street, Cartersville, GA 770-387-5098

    Ben Hill
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 7:30am - 4:00pm
    Elections Office: 324B East Pine Street, Fitzgerald, GA 31750 229-426-5151

    Berrien
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    County Registrar's Office: 205 A North Jefferson, Nashville, GA 229-686-5215

    Bibb
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:30pm
    Office Depot Plaza: 2445 Pio Nono Avenue, Macon, GA 478-621-6622

    Bleckley
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Voter Registrar's Office 2nd Floor: 112 North Second Street, Cochran, GA 478-934-3212

    Brantley
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections and Registration Office Complex: 104 Allen Street, Brantley, GA 912-462-6159

    Brooks
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Administration Building (Old National Guard Armory) 610 South Highland Street,Quitman, GA 31643 229-263-5556

    Bryan
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 9930 Ford Avenue, Richmond Hill, GA 31324 912-653-3859
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Voter Registration Office at Bryan County Courthouse: 151 South College Street, Pembroke, GA 31321 912-653-3859

    Bulloch
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 12:30pm, 1:30pm - 5:00 pm October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Bulloch County Courthouse, Room 104: 2 North Main Street, Statesboro, GA 912-764-6502

    Burke
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Burke County Courthouse Room 104: 602 North Liberty Street, Waynesboro, GA 706-554-7457

    Butts
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Butts County Board of Elections , Administration Building, Suite 5: 625 West 3rd Street, Jackson, GA 30233 770-775-8202

    Calhoun
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Calhoun County Courthouse: 31 Court Street, Morgan, GA 39866 229-849-2972

    Camden
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 208 East 4th Street, Woodbine, GA 912-576-3245
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    311 S. East Street Kingsland, GA. 31548 912-576-3245

    Candler
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Community Center: 435 North Rountree Street, Metter, GA 912-685-6687

    Carroll
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Carroll County Board of Elections and Registration, Lower Level: 423 College Street, Carrollton, GA 30117 770-830-5823/4
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Powell Park Art Center: 424 Leslie Drive, Villa Rica, GA 30180 770-830-5823/4

    Catoosa
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Catoosa Hall: 7658 Nashville Street, Ringgold, GA 706-935-3990

    Charlton
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Charlton County Courthouse: 100 South 3rd Street, Folkston, GA 912-496-2549

    Chatham
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Voter Registration Office, Suite E: 1117 East Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, GA 31406 912-790-1520
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 4:00pm
    Savannah Civic Center: 301 West Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, GA 31401 912-790-1520
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 4:00pm
    Mosquito Control: 65 Billy Hair Dr (Formerly - Short Dr) 912-790-1520

    Chattahoochee
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Voter Registrar's Office: 377 Board Street, Cusseta, GA 706-989-2014

    Chattooga
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Chattooga County Courthouse, Registrar's Office: 10017 Commerce Street, Summerville, GA 30747 706-857-0739

    Cherokee
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Cherokee County Elections and Registration Office: 400 East Main Street, Canton, GA 30114 770-479-0407
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Ball Ground Public Library: 435 Old Canton Road, Ball Ground, GA 770-479-0407
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Woodstock Public Library: 7735 Main Street, Woodstock, GA 30188 770-479-0407
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Rose Creek Library: 4476 Towne Lake Parkway Woodstock, GA. 30189 770-479-0407
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Hickory Flat Public Library: 2740 East Cherokee Drive, Canton, GA 30115 770-479-0407

    Clarke
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections: 155 East Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601 706-613-3150
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    The Classic Center: 300 N. Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601 706-613-3150

    Clay
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    County Courthouse: 210 South Washington Street, Fort Gaines, GA 229-768-2000

    Clayton
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Elections & Registration: 121 S. McDonough Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236 770-477-3372
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Morrow Municipal Complex, Community Room: 1500 Morrow Road, Morrow, GA 30260 770-477-3372
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Lee Headquarters Library: 865 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236 770-477-3372
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Lovejoy Branch Library: 1721 McDonough Road, Hampton, GA 30338 770-477-3372
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center: 3499 Rex Road, Rex, GA 30273 770-477-3372
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Frank Bailey Senior Center: 6213 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, GA 30274 770-477-3372

    Clinch
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Suite A: 25 Court Square, Homerville, GA 912-487-3656

    Cobb
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Cobb Elections Main Office, West Park Government Center 736 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta, GA 30064 770-528-2581
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    East Cobb Government Service Center: 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 770-528-2581
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    South Cobb Government Service Center: 4700 Austell Road, Austell, GA 30106 770-528-2581
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    Parks Western District Office (Lost Mountain Park): 4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs, GA 30127 770-528-2581
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    North Cobb Senior Center (at Kennworth Park): 4100 Highway 293 (Old 41) Acworth, GA 30101 770-528-2581

    Coffee
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room at the Registrars Office: 101 South Peterson Avenue, Douglas, GA 31533 912-384-7018

    Colquitt
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Courthouse Annex, Room 133: 101 East Central Avenue, Moultrie, GA 229-616-7056

    Columbia
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Columbia County Board of Elections, Building E: 500 Faircloth Drive, Evans, GA 30809 706-868-3355
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    Columbia County Board of Elections, Building E: 500 Faircloth Drive, Evans, GA 30809 706-868-3355
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    Patriots Park: 5445 Columbia Road, Grovetown, GA 30813 706-868-3355
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 6:00pm
    Savannah Rapids Pavilion: 3300 Evans to Locks Road, Martinez, GA. 706-868-3355

    Cook
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Cook County Administration Building: 1200 South Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 229-896-2266

    Coweta
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm, Every Saturday 9:00am - 12:00pm
    Coweta County Voter Registration Office: 22 East Broad Street, Newnan, GA 770-254-2615

    Crawford
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Development Center, Room 14: 1011 US Highway 341 North, Roberta, GA 478-836-1877

    Crisp
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Crisp County Courthouse: Registrar's Office Room 105 210 South 7th Street, Cordele, GA 31015 229-276-2611
  • October 24 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Ag Building/Courthouse Annex, 110 13th Avenue West, Cordele, GA 31015 229-276-2611

    Dade
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Administration Building: 71 Case Ave., Trenton, GA 30752 706-657-8170

    Dawson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Dawson County Board of Elections & Restrations 462 Memory Lane, Suite 150, Dawsonville, GA 30534 706-344-3640

    Decatur
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 122 West Water Street, Bainbridge, GA 39817 229-243-2087

    Dekalb
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Memorial Drive Complex, Suite 300 (Across the street from the jail): 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Memorial Drive Complex, Suite 300 (Across the street from the jail): 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Decatur, Room A: 330 West Ponce deLeon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Lithonia: Lithonia Middle School 2451 Randall Avenue, Lithonia, GA 30058 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Northlake: DeKalb County Fire Headquarters: 1950 West Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    North DeKalb: Brook Run: 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338 404-298-4020
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    South DeKalb Senior Center: 1931 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30030 404-298-4020

    Dodge
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Dodge County Registrar Office (Courthouse circle): 5401 Anson Avenue, Eastman, GA 478-374-8123

    Dooly
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Dooly County Economic Development Training Center: 402 Hawkinsville Road, Vienna, GA 229-268-4228
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Dooly County Commissioners Office: 117 South Third Street, Vienna, GA 31092 229-268-4228

    Dougherty
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Resource Center (Candy Room): 125 Pine Avenue, Albany, GA 31701 229-431-3247

    Douglas
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Old Douglas County Courthouse: 6754 Church Street, Douglasville, GA 30134 770-920-7213
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Boundary Waters Aquatic Center: 5000 Georgia Highway 92, Douglasville, GA 30135 770-920-7213
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Deer Lick Park Recreation Center: 2105 Mack Road, Douglasville, GA 30135 770-920-7213

    Early
  • October 24 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Registrar's Office: 15157 River Street, Blakely, GA 229-723-4522

    Echols
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Tax Commissioners Office: 148 Church Of God Street, Statenville, GA 229-559-7526

    Effingham
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 306 North Ash Street, Springfield, GA 912-754-2115

    Elbert
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Registrars, Room 42: 45 Forest Avenue, Elberton, GA 706-283-2012

    Emanuel
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    105 South Main Street, Swainsboro, GA 478-237-3471

    Evans
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Evan's County Registrar's Office (#10 Courthouse Annex): 201 Freeman Street, Claxton, GA 912-739-0708

    Fannin
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 4:00pm
    Suite 301: 400 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 706-632-7740

    Fayette
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:000pm
    Fayette County Elections Office, Suite 209: 140 Stonewall Avenue West, Fayetteville, GA 30215 770-305-5408
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Peachtree City Library: 15 Willowbend Road, Peachtree City, GA 30269 770-305-5408
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Fayette County Public Meeting Room: 140 Stonewall Avenue West, Fayetteville, GA. 30214 770-305-5408
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Tyrone Library: 143 Commerce Drive, Tyrone, GA 30290 770-487-1565

    Floyd
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Administration Building 2nd Floor: 12 East 4th Avenue, Rome, GA 30161 706-291-5167
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Rome Civic Center: 400 Civic Center Drive, Rome, GA 30161 706-291-5168

    Forsyth
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Public Safety Complex: 3520 Settingdown Road, Cumming, GA 30028 770-781-2118
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:00pm
    Registrar's Office, Suite 200: 110 East Main Street Cumming, GA 770-781-2118
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Midway Park: 5100 Post Road, Cumming, GA 30040 770-781-2118
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Cumming Public Library: 585 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming, GA 30040 770-781-2118
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Sharon Forks Library: 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming, GA 30041 770-781-2118

    Franklin
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Registrar's Office: 211 Athens Street, Carnesville, GA 30521 706-384-4390

    Fulton
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Fulton County Government Center, Suite 4064: 141 Pryor Street, Atlanta, GA 30303 404-612-7072
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Fulton County Government South Service Center Room 105: 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, GA 404-612-7072
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    North Service Center, Suite 209: 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30350 404-612-7072
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Northeast Spruill Road: 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek, GA 404-612-7072
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Hembree Recreation Center: 850 Hembree Road, Roswell, GA 404-612-7072
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Welcome All Park: 4255 Will Lee Road, College Park, GA 404-612-7072
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 7:00pm
    Adamsville Recreation Center: 3201 Martin Luther King Jr., Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 404-612-7072

    Gilmer
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Gilmer County Registrar office: 92 Sand Street, Ellijay, GA 706-635-4617

    Glascock
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Voter Registration Office: 45 East Main Street, Gibson, GA 706-598-2811

    Glynn
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections Office: 1815 Gloucester Street, Brunswick, GA 912-554-7060
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Fire Administration Building: 121 Public Safety Boulevard Brunswick, GA 912-554-7060
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Fire Station #2: 1929 Demere Road, St. Simons Island, GA 912-554-7060

    Gordon
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Courthhouse Annex: 101 South Piedmont Street, Calhoun, GA 30701 706-629-7781

    Grady
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Grady County Registrar's Office: 114 1st Street Northeast, Cairo, GA 39828 229-377-1897

    Greene
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Emergency Operations Training Room: 1180 C. Weldon Smith Drive, Greensboro, GA 706-453-1108

    Gwinnett
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 4:30pm
    Voter Registration/Election Main Office, Suite 200: 455 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045 678-226-7210
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    Centerville Community Center: 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville, GA 30039 678-226-7210
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    George Pierce Community Center: 55 Buford Highway, Suwanee, GA 30024 678-226-7210
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    Dacula Activity Building: 2735 Old Auburn Road, Dacula, GA 30019 678-226-7210
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    Singleton Road Activity Building: 5220 Singleton Road, Norcross, GA 30092 678-226-7210

    Habersham
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center: 120 Paul Franklin Road, Clarkesville, GA 706-754-4068

    Hall
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm H
    all County Board of Elections & Voter Registratio, Suite 2: 2285 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 770-531-6945

    Hancock
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    Hancock County Courthouse: 12630 Broad Street, Sparta, GA 706-444-5259

    Haralson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Haralson County Courthouse: 4485 Highway 120, Buchanan, GA 30113 770-646-2010

    Harris
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 104 North College Street, Hamilton, GA 706-628-5210

    Hart
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Hart County Board of Registrars: 165 West Franklin Street, Hartwell, GA 30643 706-376-8911

    Heard
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Heard County Courthouse, Room 1: East Court Square, Franklin, GA 706-675-3907

    Henry
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Elections and Registration Office: 66 Veterans Drive, McDonough, GA 30253 770-954-2021
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Fairview Area: Fairview Public Library: 28 Austin Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-954-2021
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Hampton: Berea Christian Church: 37 Woolsey Road, Hampton, GA 30228 770-954-2021
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Locust Grove: Locust Grove Public Library 28 Austin Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-954-2021
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 7:00pm
    Stockbridge: Cochran Memorial Library 4602 N. Henry Blvd, Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-954-2021

    Houston
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections, Room 237: 801 Main Street, Perry, GA 31069 478-987-1973
  • October 20 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Houston County Annex (Lobby): 200 Carl Vinson Parkway, Warner Robins, GA 31088 478-987-1973

    Irwin
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 207 South Irwin Street, Ocilla, GA 229-468-5894

    Jackson
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Administrative Building: 67 Athens Street, Jefferson, GA 706-367-6377
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    Administrative Building: 67 Athens Street, Jefferson, GA 706-367-6377
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    204 Carson Street, Commerce, GA 30529 706-367-6377
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 7:00pm
    5040 Highway 53, Braselton, GA 30517 706-367-6377

    Jasper
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:00pm
    Registrar's Office, Ground floor of the Courthouse, Suite 3: 126 West Greene Street, Monticello, GA 706-468-4908

    Jeff Davis
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Jeff Davis County Courthouse, Room 107: 14 Jeff Davis Street, Hazlehurst GA 912-375-6635

    Jefferson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 302 East Broad Street, Louisville, GA 478-625-8357

    Jenkins
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Jenkins County Courthouse: 611 East Winthrope Avenue, Millen, GA 478-982-3985

    Johnson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    6816 East College Street, Wrightsville, GA 31096 478-864-4019

    Jones
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Jones County Government Center, Suite 102: 166 Industrial Boulevard, Gray, GA 31032 478-986-3222

    Lamar
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 12:30pm, 1:30pm - 5:00 pm
    Registrar's Office: 408 Thomaston Street, Barnesville, GA 30204 770-358-5235
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 408 Thomaston Street, Barnesville, GA 30204 770-358-5235

    Lanier
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Registrars Office, Courthouse, Suite 8: 100 Main Street, Lakeland, GA 31635 229-482-8361

    Laurens
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex Building: 117 East Jackson Street, Dublin, GA 478-272-2841

    Lee
  • September 22 - October 17 M-F 8:15am-5:00pm
    Lee County Courthouse: 100 Leslie Highway, Leesburg, GA 229-759-6002
  • October 20-October 31 M-F 8:15am - 5:00 pm
    Lee County Government Building: 109 Main Street, Leesburg, GA 229-759-6002

    Liberty
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    102 South Commerce Street, Hinesville, GA 912-876-3310

    Lincoln
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    The Lincoln Center: 160 May Avenue, Lincolnton, GA 706-359-6126

    Long
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Long County Courthouse: 49 East McDonald Street, Ludowici, GA 912-545-2234
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 10:00am - 6:00pm
    Long County Courthouse: 49 East McDonald Street, Ludowici, GA 912-545-2234

    Lowndes
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    2808 North Oak Street, Valdosta, GA 31602 229-671-2850
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 7:00am - 5:00pm 2808
    North Oak Street, Valdosta, GA 31602 229-671-2850

    Lumpkin
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Mountain Education Center Room 523: 123 Mountain View Drive, Dahlonega, GA 30533 706-864-6279

    Macon
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Macon County Courthouse, Commissioners Meeting Room: 121 South Sumter Street, Oglethorpe, GA 478-472-8520

    Madison
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 91 Albany Avenue, Danielsville, GA 706-795-6335
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 91 Albany Avenue, Danielsville, GA 706-795-6335

    Marion
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections: 113 North Broad Street, Buena Vista, GA 229-649-9838

    McDuffie
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:30pm
    McDuffie County Elections Office:808 Whiteoak Road, Thomson, GA 706-595-2105
  • Saturday, October 4 & October 18, 9am - 12pm
    McDuffie County Elections Office:808 Whiteoak Road, Thomson, GA 706-595-2105

    McIntosh
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    103 Jefferson Street, Darien, GA 912-437-6605

    Meriwether
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    137 South Court Square, Greenville, GA 706-672-9433

    Miller
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office County Courthouse, Room 109: 155 South First Street, Colquitt, GA 229-758-4118

    Mitchell
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Registrar's Office: Camilla, GA 229-336-2016

    Monroe
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Monroe County Board of Registrar's 560 S Lee St, Forsyth, GA 31029 478-994-7020

    Montgomery
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse: 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon, GA 30445 912-583-4296

    Morgan
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm 434
    Hancock Street, Madison, GA 706-342-2508

    Murray
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 121 North 4th Avenue, Chatsworth, GA 706-695-1983

    Muscogee
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Elections Office, Government Center: 100 10th Street, Columbus, GA 706-653-4392
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:30am - 5:00pm
    Columbus Public Library: 3000 Macon Road, Columbus, GA 706-653-4392
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 10:00am - 6:00pm
    Frank D. Chester Recreation Center: 1441 Benning Drive, Columbus GA 706-653-4392
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:30am - 5:00pm
    Cunningham Center @ Columbus State University: 4225 University Avenue, Columbus GA 706-653-4392
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:30am - 4:30pm
    Chattahooche Valley Regional Library: 3000 Macon Road, Columbus, GA 31906 706-243-2669

    Newton
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Registrar Office, Suite 103: 1113 Usher Street, Covington, GA 30014 770-784-2055

    Oconee
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Elections Office: 10 Court Street, Watkinsville, GA 30677 706-769-3958
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Oconee County Civic Center: 2661 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677 706-769-3958

    Oglethorpe
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Oglethorpe County Courthouse, Registrar's Office: 111 West Main Street, Lexington, GA 706-743-8954

    Paulding
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Elections/ Voter Registration Office, Suite B: 120 East Memorial Drive, Dallas, GA 30132 770-443-7503
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Elections/ Voter Registration Office, Suite B: 120 East Memorial Drive, Dallas, GA 30132 770-443-7503
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Hiram Community Center 217 Main Street, Hiram, GA 30141 770-443-7503
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Mt. Tabor Park 1550 E. Paulding Drive, Dallas, GA 30132 770-443-7503
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    New Georgia Library 94 Ridge Road, Dallas, GA 30157 770-443-7503
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Russom Elementary School 40 Old Dallas Acworth Road, Dallas, GA 30132 770-443-7503
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 7:00pm
    Yorkville Fire Station 296 Crossroads Chuch Road, Rockmart, GA 30153 770-443-7503

    Peach
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Peach County Courthouse Annex, Suite 102: 205 West Church Street, Fort Valley, GA 478-825-3514

    Pickens
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Pickens County Elections Office, Suite 165: 1266 East Church Street, Japer, GA 30143 706-253-8781

    Pierce
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    312 Nichols Street, Suite 2, Blackshear, GA 31516 912-449-2028

    Pike
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Pike County Courthouse: 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, GA 30295 770-567-2003

    Polk
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections and Registration, Suite D: 144 West Avenue, Cedartown, GA 30125 770-749-2103
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Cedartown: Goodyear Civic Center: 100 Prior Street Cedartown, GA 770-749-2103
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Rockmart City Hall: 200 South Marble Street, Rockmart, GA 30153 770-749-2103

    Pulaski
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse Annex: 105 North Lumpkin Street, Hawkinsville, GA 478-783-0828

    Putnam
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Putnam County Board of Education: 158 Old Glenwood Springs Road, Eatonton, GA 706-485-5441

    Quitman
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Probate Office (Behind the Courthouse): 115 Main Street, Georgetown, GA 229-334-2224

    Rabun
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Rabun County Courthouse, Break Room: 25 Courthouse Square, Clayton, GA 706-782-1878

    Randolph
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar Office: 2005 South Webster Street, Cuthbert, GA 229-732-5220

    Richmond
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 6:00pm
    Board of Elections Office, Room 104: 530 Greene Street, Augusta, GA 30901 706-821-2340
  • October 24 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 6:00pm
    The Warren Road Recreation Center: 300 Warren Road, Augusta, GA 30907 706-821-2340

    Rockdale
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm 1400
    Parker Road, Lobby C, Conyers, GA 770-785-5947

    Schley S
  • eptember 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Registrar's Office: 14 South Broad Street, Ellaville, GA 229-937-2689

    Screven
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Screven County Courthouse, Voter Registration Office, Room 114: 216 Mims Road, Sylvania, GA 30467 912-564-2153

    Seminole
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 9:00am - 12 pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Tax Commissioners Office: 200 South Knox Avenue, Donalsonville, GA 229-524-2238
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Tax Commissioners Office: 200 South Knox Avenue, Donalsonville, GA 229-524-2238

    Spalding
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Memorial Drive Plaza, Suite 819 Griffin, GA 30224 770-467-4245

    Stephens
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 9:00am - 12 pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Stephens County Government Building, 1st Floor Meeting Room: 205 North Alexander Street, Toccoa, GA 706-886-8954
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Stephens County Government Building, 1st Floor Meeting Room: 205 North Alexander Street, Toccoa, GA 706-886-8954

    Stewart
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    532 MLK Dr., Lumpkin, GA 229-838-4261

    Sumter
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Registration Office: 500 West Lamar Street, Americus, GA 229-928-4580

    Talbot
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse: 26 South Washington Avenue, Talbotton, GA 31827 706-665-8270

    Taliaferro
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Courthouse: 113 Monument Street, Crawfordville, GA 706-456-2229

    Tattnall
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Tattnall County Board of Elections & Registration Office: 123 Jordan Street, Reidsville, GA 912-557-6417

    Taylor
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Taylor County Government Complex: 7 Ivey Street, Butler, GA 478-862-3997

    Telfair
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Temporary Location, Old Hospital Building: 210 East Parsonage Street, McRae, GA 229-868-2023

    Terrell
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 12 pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Government Building, Board of Elections and Registration Office: 955 Forrester Drive S.E., Dawson, GA 229-995-5066
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Government Building, Board of Elections and Registration Office: 955 Forrester Drive S.E., Dawson, GA 229-995-5066

    Thomas
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar's Office: 406 Smith Avenue, Thamsville, GA 229-225-4104
  • October 27 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Elijah Hill Building: 227 West Jefferson Street, Thomasville, GA

    Tift
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections and Registration Office: 222 Chestnut Avenue, Tifton, GA 229-386-7915

    Toombs
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    125 W Lincoln Ave, Lyons, GA 912-526-8226

    Towns
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 12:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
    Registrar Office, Towns County Old Rock Jail, Suite 30: 48 River Street, Hiawassee, GA 706-896-4353

    Treutlen
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Annex Building Lobby: 650 Second Street South, Soperton, GA 30457 912-529-3342
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Annex Building Lobby: 650 Second Street South, Soperton, GA 30457 912-529-3342

    Troup
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Troup County Registrar Office: 100 Ridley Avenue, LaGrange, GA 706-883-1745

    Turner
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Board of Elections Office: 1807 US Highway 41, S., Sycamore, GA 229-567-2909

    Twiggs
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Room 123: 425 Railroad Street North, Jeffersonville, GA 478-945-3639

    Union
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Union County Board of Registrar: 114 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, GA 706-439-6016

    Upson
  • September 22 - October 24 M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm
    Drake Building: Board of Registration and Elections, Room 130: 305 S. Hightower Street, Thomaston, GA 706-647-6259
  • October 27 -October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Drake Building: Board of Registration and Elections, Room 130: 305 S. Hightower Street, Thomaston, GA 706-647-6259

    Walker
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Walker County Courthouse Room 110: 103 South Duke Street, LaFayette, GA 30728 706-638-4349
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Rossville Municipal Civic Center: 400 McrFarland Ave, Rossville, GA 30741 706-866-1325
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Chickamauga Civic Center: 100 Euclid Ave, Chickamauga, GA 30707 706-375-6943
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:30pm
    Lookout Mountain City Hall: 1214 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain,GA 30750 706-820-1586

    Walton
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Walton Elections: 303 S. Hammond Drive, Monroe, GA 30655 770-267-1337

    Ware
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Ware County Courthouse, Suite B68 800 Church Street, Waycross, GA 912-287-4363

    Warren
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Warren County Board of Registrars Office, Community Services Bldg: 48 Warren Street, Warrenton, GA 30828 706-465-1993

    Washington
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrars Office: Couthouse: Room 108: 132 W. Haynes St., Sandersville GA. 31082 478-552-5239

    Wayne
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm
    Wayne County Courthouse: Registrar’s Office 174 North Brunswick Street, Jesup, GA 912-427-5950

    Webster
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 12:30pm - 4:30pm
    Webster County Board of Elections and Registration: 6622 Cass Street, Preston, GA 31824 229-828-5775

    Wheeler
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Tax Commissioner Office: 119 West Pearl Street, Alamo, GA 912-568-7131

    White
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    White County Courhouse, Grand Jury Room: 59 South Main Street, Cleveland, GA 706-865-7812

    Whitfield
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Registrar Office, Suite K: 205 N. Selvidge Street, Dalton, GA 30730 706-278-7183

    Wilcox
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 4:00pm
    Wilcox County Registrar Office: 377 College St, Abbeville, GA 229-467-2111 or 2115

    Wilkes
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Wilkes County Courthouse Room 323: 23 Court Street, Washington, GA 706-678-1850

    Wilkinson
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    Wilkinson County Courthouse: 100 Bacon Street, Irwinton, GA 478-946-2188

    Worth
  • September 22 - October 31 M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm
    County Courthouse, Registration Office, Room 11: 201 North Main Street, Sylvester, GA 229-776-8208



At the advance voting office, you must fill out an application and provide one of the permitted forms of identification. You will then be issued a ballot that must be filled out and cast while you are in the office.


On November 4th find your local precinct here.


Read the AJC.com articles about early voting in Georgia here and here.

CNN.com has an article on early voting and the big turnout nationally.

plez sez: voter turnout is expected to be HUGE on November 4th, vote early!