Fayette offers two ballot drop boxes for loan

Two of Fayette County’s four absentee ballot drop boxes are now available to loan to other counties that might not have any. The Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on Oct. 14 to offer the boxes, provided they are returned intact if Fayette wants them back. Darryl Hicks, chairman of the county’s Board of Elections & Voter Registration, said his board unanimously approved the idea on Sept. 28. However, Hicks said that no other jurisdiction has asked to borrow any boxes yet.

Fayette installed four secured drop boxes for the 2020 election, but current Georgia law allows only one box per 100,000 voters. Hicks said Fayette currently has approximately 97,000 voters, and recommended keeping one extra box for possible future use. Fayette’s sole drop box is located at the administrative complex at 140 Stonewall Ave. West.