The three-week early voting period is set to open today for the May 24 primary election. DeKalb Cityhood Movement, proponents of the proposed City of DeKalb, formerly called Greenhaven, are supporting a roster of state House Representative candidates in hopes that these candidates will support their efforts for the proposed city. Legislation for new cities in Georgia normally begins in the state House of Representatives. Because no current or past House Representative representing DeKalb has been in favor or has sponsored a bill for City of DeKalb or Greenhaven, the proponents are again throwing their support behind a handful of candidates that they feel will sponsor a bill for them.

Below is a list of all of the House of Representative races affecting DeKalb County. Neighbors Against Greenhaven and Citizens in Opposition to Greenhaven do not endorse any candidates. However, we feel it is our responsibility to make the public aware and to be transparent about those potential candidates that are being supported and endorsed by DeKalb Cityhood Movement. Also, stayed tuned as we have new civic organizations in DeKalb that will join our alliance. This alliance or coalition has a new name that will soon be revealed.

The one highlighted in yellow mean Honorable Mention, in that they said they weren’t necessarily for City of DeKalb, but were open to a vote.

Atlanta Regional Commission did a survey and, overall, DeKalb resident’s top concerns were crime, transportation and housing. Apparently, wanting a new city and adding a layer of government is not a top concern of south DeKalb County residents.

Primaries on the ballot include races for Governor, U.S. Senate, Secretary of State and every statewide constitutional office. Voters will also choose nominees for congressional and state legislative contests. However, Neighbors Against Greenhaven and Citizens in Opposition to Greenhaven, as mentioned before, we do not sponsor or endorse any candidate. This is for information purposes only.

The primary might be the first time many voters go to the polls since the General Assembly passed Georgia’s new voting law in March 2021, though some cities held local elections in the fall.

Changes to voting laws affect early voting in several ways.

The minimum early voting hours are set at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and counties can offer up to 12 hours of daily early voting, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In previous elections, early voting times were required “during normal business hours,” but those hours weren’t defined.

Early voting also will be offered on two Saturdays, and local election offices also have the option of providing voting hours on two Sundays. Before the law, one Saturday of early voting was required.

Early voting is available from May 2 to May 20.

All voters also have the option of casting absentee ballots in advance of election day, but the rules have changed.

Under Georgia’s voting law, voters no longer can request an absentee ballot online without signing a paper form, meaning they’ll need access to a printer in most circumstances. A driver’s license or other form of ID also is required. The state’s new absentee ballot request website is securemyabsenteeballot.sos. ga.gov.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is now 11 days before election day, on May 13 for the primary, and completed ballots must be received at local election offices before polls close.

Voters can return absentee ballots through the mail or in drop boxes, but fewer ballot drop boxes are available this year, and there won’t be an option during the final days of the election.

Georgia’s voting law prohibits drop boxes from being used except during early voting hours, and they only can be located inside early voting locations.

The number of drop boxes in each county is capped at one for every 100,000 active voters or the number of early voting locations, whichever is lower. Every county must install at least one drop box.

The primary might be the first time many voters go to the polls since the General Assembly passed Georgia’s new voting law in March 2021, though some cities held local elections in the fall.

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