Relatively few voters went to the polls for the first day of early voting Monday in Fulton and DeKalb counties. That may be because many voters remain undecided in the race to become Atlanta’s mayor.
According to the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, only 1,620 voters cast ballots early in the first day of voting. That represents all early voting sites around the county, and it is for all races in the county.
DeKalb recorded only 153 ballots cast Monday for both the Atlanta race and other races across the county.
Officials from both counties did not return calls seeking comment on early voting and if there were any issues. Earlier this year, some DeKalb County voters were upset they could not cast ballots in the Sixth Congressional District race, even though they lived outside the district.
Polls show almost 20 percent of voters in the Atlanta mayor’s race are undecided, meaning those voters will likely wait until closer to election day to cast a ballot. Early voting ends Nov. 3, and election day is Nov. 7.
Several other cities in Fulton also are electing city officials, and the county is electing a new chair for the county commission.
In DeKalb, beyond the municipal elections, voters will elected a state representative from the 89th District, and they will also vote on a SPLOST.
The latest polling in Atlanta’s mayoral race, by Landmark Communications, shows Keisha Lance Bottoms surging to 19 percent after an endorsement by outgoing Mayor Kasim Reed. Mary Norwood continues to lead polling with 22 percent.
If neither candidate gets a majority, the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff Dec. 5.
