Election day, especially in Macon-Bibb, has some folks confused

ATLANTA -- A Macon state legislator plans to file a bill soon to set Macon-Bibb's local elections on the same day as the November presidential election. One reason he gives is that the public is confused by all the different election dates this year.

No kidding.

In his original comments earlier this month, state Rep. James Beverly, D-Macon, said he wants to switch Macon-Bibb County's local elections from July to November.

The problem is that local, nonpartisan elections this year, as well as partisan primaries, are in May, not in July.

It's a fairly recent calendar change that caught even well-informed people off guard.

In 2013, the state Legislature approved a local act moving Macon-Bibb's elections for mayor and county commission from November to July.

But a 2014 state law has since reset election schedules statewide and supersedes that 2013 act. That law moved the Macon-Bibb County elections to May, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's Office.

Beverly said his assumption that Macon-Bibb's elections were still scheduled for July illustrates the need for his bill. He wants local elections to be held at the same time as the November presidential election because that's when voter turnout is highest.

"People are confused about when to vote," he said. "What we're clear on is everybody knows there's an election in November this year."

Kelli Persons, advocacy director for the League of Women Voters of Georgia, said people are usually not very well aware of primary election dates.

"Generally, unless you're a member of a political party or a die-hard fan of one or the other, you're not coming out in a primary election," she said.

But those primary ballots are important to political parties. The people who vote in primaries decide which Republican or Democrat gets to go on to a final round vote for, say, a seat in the state Legislature.

But while primaries get the attention of party stalwarts, those ballots also contain nonpartisan elections, like those for Macon-Bibb mayor and county commission.

"There are nonpartisan elections on the primary ballot, and people don't know that," Persons said.

She also said it's "sort of a little-known fact" that in primaries, voters who do not have an interest in Democratic or Republican politicking can get nonpartisan ballots that list only the nonpartisan contests.

For the record, Macon-Bibb nonpartisan elections this year are May 24.

That's the same day as partisan primaries for offices such as Bibb County sheriff, tax commissioner and district attorney, as well as voting for the state Legislature and Congress.

Ballots also will include nonpartisan elections for seats on the state Supreme Court, state Court of Appeals and Superior Courts.

If any of those May 24 races require a runoff, those runoffs would be July 26.

Then on Nov. 8, Democrats and Republicans will face off against each other in the partisan general election. If any of the state or local races in November require a runoff, that runoff would be on Dec. 6.

Here's a recap of key election dates this year:

March 1: Presidential preference primary;

May 24: General primary, nonpartisan general election;

July 26: General primary runoff, nonpartisan general runoff (if needed);

Nov. 8: General election;

Dec. 6: General election runoff for local and state offices (if needed).

To contact writer Maggie Lee, e-mail mlee@macon.com.

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Election day, especially in Macon-Bibb, has some folks confused ."