Primary Day is almost here, and local voters who haven’t already cast a ballot have a chance to head to their precincts to cast their ballot (in local races on the GOP ballot only) for who will go onto represent parties in the November mid-term election.

Locally, that means that Commission candidates and judges will be decided during the May 24 primary, giving Polk County the opportunity to change course or stick with incumbents this year.

As of close of business on the final day of early voting on Friday, Polk County Elections Director Noah Beck reported that 3,888 ballots had already been cast in this year’s primary. Additionally, 229 absentee ballots were sent out after being requested, and 190 were returned.

Only seven votes have gone to provisional ballot status during the past three weeks of early voting that began at the start of May, and concluded on Friday.

A majority of those votes were cast in Cedartown, but the opening of the Rockmart precinct did provide opportunities for the voters to get out on the eastern side of the county without having to travel far to get in early.

Per the information provided by the Board of Elections, 2,402 voters cast a ballot in Cedartown early, and the remainder of 1,486 cast a ballot in Rockmart.

Voters are being asked to head to the polls to decide a number of local, state and federal primary spots this year – some of those will later go uncontested in November.

On the local level, all three Commission incumbents face challengers on the Republican primary ballot this year. The local races also include the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court race, and the State House District 16 race.

Statewide, constitutional officers are back on the ballot in 2022 from the Governor’s seat down the chain of command to Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner, and more. Those incumbents face democratic challenges as well as primary challenges this year, including a race between Gov. Brian Kemp and former Senator David Perdue.

Federal positions – like the District 14 House Race that has both democratic and republican primary challenges underway – include House and a Senate seat for the 2022 race.

Check back on Sunday for more on the upcoming races. Read leftover questions and answers from local commission candidates before you head to the polls on Tuesday.