Henry Daily Herald

Photo by Jason A. Smith Paul Ficarrotta, elections coordinator for Henry County, prepared ballot machines for early voting, which begins Monday.

McDONOUGH — Beginning Monday, Henry County voters will be able to go to the polls for early voting.

Registered voters will a chance to cast ballots early for the July 31, Republican and Democratic primaries. Henry County Elections and Registration Director Janet Shellnutt anticipates a busier voting season than normal this year.

“In a presidential election year, you’re going to have more voters,” said Shellnutt.

She expects voter totals to be particularly heavy for commission races in Districts II and III, because several candidates are competing in each race.

The General Primary and Non-Partisan election is scheduled for July 31, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

“Early voting in Henry County begins July 9, and will continue through July 29, at the Henry County Elections and Registration Building, located at 345 Phillips Drive in McDonough,” said county spokesperson, Julie Hoover-Ernst.

Early voting will be held Monday, July 9, through July 20, from 8 a.m., until 5 p.m., and on Saturday, July 21, from 9 a.m., until 4 p.m.

County offices up for reelection include the Henry County Commission Chairman; commissioners for Districts I, II, and III; Henry County Board of Education Districts I, II and III; Henry County sheriff; tax commissioner; coroner; probate judge; state court judge; and superior court clerk.

For more information, visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/elections.

Voters also will be asked, during early voting or on July 31, to decide on a transportation referendum. If it passes, the measure would impose a 1-cent sales tax to fund $6.14 billion in road projects over 10 years, for a 10-county area that includes Henry and Clayton counties.

From Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, early voting will be available from 7 a.m., to 7 p.m., at the Elections and Registration Office on Phillips Drive, and at the Ted Strickland Community Center, located at 130 Berry St., in Stockbridge, said Hoover-Ernst.

When all ballots are cast, voters will select at least one new member each of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, as well as the Henry County Board of Education. There also will be a new county district attorney selected, but that will not happen until there is a general election in November. Both the Democrat, and the Republican in the race to replace retiring District Attorney Tommy Floyd, have no primary opposition.

Henry County voters also will get a chance to play a role in the selection of congressional representation in the U. S. Congress. Some voters will cast ballots in the Third District Congressional race and the 10th District Congressional race.