Candidates vying for two open seats on the Demorest City Council spoke directly with voters Tuesday night in a virtual political forum sponsored by Now Habersham.
Shawn Allen, Russell “Rusty” Goldsmith, and Amanda Crump Mason laid out their visions and views in a Facebook LIVE event carried here on nowhabersham.com.
Dick Stafford moderated the forum. Stafford is a journalism professor at Georgia State University, a published author, and Now Habersham contributor.
Allen, Goldsmith, and Mason elected to participate in the forum. The other four candidates were given the option to appear in person or virtually but declined.
The 45-minute forum was held at the Habersham County Judicial Center. Now Habersham extends our thanks to Habersham County Manager Phil Sutton, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, and Habersham County IT Director Tracy Williamson for their assistance in making the forum possible.
The Demorest City Council Special Election is being held to fill seats vacated by Bruce Harkness and Sean Moore. The top two vote-getters in the Nov. 3 Special Election will be seated on the five-person board.
Early voting underway
Early voting is now underway. Demorest voters may request their special election ballots by mail or when they go to the polls.
Habersham North Precinct at the Aquatic Center in Clarkesville is now open for early voting from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 30. The precinct will also be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for Saturday voting on Oct. 24.
Habersham South Precinct at First Baptist Church of Cornelia will be open for Saturday voting from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 24 and for advance voting from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 26-30.
All county precincts will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
If you vote early, you may go to either Habersham North or Habersham South, but if you wait until election day, you must vote at your assigned precinct. If you’re not sure where that is, call the Habersham County Elections Office at 706-839-0170 or visit https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do.
Those who received an absentee ballot but have not voted it and want to vote in person still can. “They just need to bring that ballot with them to turn in to the poll workers when they come to vote so that it can be canceled,” explains Ellison.
Absentee ballots are still available by mail. They must be received in the county elections office by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.
