General election gets started with positive turnout

The Cedartown and Rockmart precincts this morning should stay busy as the first group of early voters made their way to cast their ballot for the 2024 General Election, including the Presidential election this go-round.

Polls are open at the Cedartown precinct (Goodyear Civic Center, see info below) and the Rockmart precinct for early voting during normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and on two Saturdays: October 19 and October 26.

Anyone who needs an absentee ballot can still seek one via the Board of Elections (see info in the next paragraph for contact) and can get them up until October 21.

Need additional help not listed below? Visit the Polk County Board of Elections site for more information or to reach out to an election official for help by calling 770-749-2103.

Here’s a reminder of the info you’ll need to cast a ballot:

Where to go to vote

Polk County will have two precincts open for the 2024 early voting cycle. They are located in Cedartown at the Goodyear Civic Center at 108 Prior Street, and in Rockmart at 605 Goodyear Ave. at the Nathan Dean (also Rockmart) Community Center.

CEDARTOWN PRECINCT

Location: Goodyear Civic Center

Address: 108 Prior St., Cedartown

Dates: Weekdays – Oct. 15 to Nov. 1, 2024; Saturday votes: Oct. 19 & Oct. 26, 2024

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ROCKMART PRECINCT

Location: Nathan Dean Community Center (aka Rockmart Community Center)

Address: 605 Goodyear Ave., Rockmart

Dates: Weekdays – Oct. 15 to Nov. 1, 2024; Saturday votes: Oct. 19 & Oct. 26, 2024

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When to vote

Early voting begins on Tuesday, October 15 following the Columbus Day bank holiday today which saw polls closed across the state, and will be available for three weeks until Friday, November 1. Polls are open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday voting is open at both locations from October 19 and October 26, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Absentee ballots should already be going out to voters and can be turned to the Board of Elections office. They must be turned in by Tuesday, November 5 at 7 p.m. to be counted toward the overall vote tallies. (As a matter of caution and due to the processing times at the Palmetto sorting center, it would be advisable to send those back in as soon as possible or turn them into the Board of Elections office at 144 West Ave., Cedartown, in person.)

Registration for voting closed last Monday, October 7.

What do you need

Voters who have registered prior to the deadline and received information back from the state have to bring a state-issued Photo ID (or passport) to cast their ballot at the Cedartown or Rockmart precinct early, or on Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at one of the seven precincts assigned individually to voters.

Voters will need to e-sign for the ballot once their ID is scanned and verified. Voters get a card to carry into the booth and make decisions on the touch screen before the ballot is printed and scanned.

Reminder: You are not allowed to wear or carry campaign-related material into polling places. (That means no Harris buttons, no MAGA hats, t-shirts or any other apparel that attempts to sway voters at the polls, and any campaign signs have to be 150 feet from polling places’ front door.)

Worried about your registration status? Visit the My Voter Page provided by the Secretary of State’s office.