In a year filled with odd elections, another oddity is underway.
Early voting began Monday in the contest to fill the Senate District 39 seat, and early voting will end Wednesday. Election Day is Dec. 1. An early voting period usually runs three weeks — not three days.
The race is between Democrats Sonya Halpern and Linda Pritchett to fill the seat left open by Nikema Williams. Williams succeeds Civil Rights hero U.S. Rep. John Lewis after he died in July. She was elected Nov. 3 and begins her term in the 5th Congressional District seat in January.
But due to state elections procedure, either former Morehouse College president Robert Franklin or former Atlanta city councilman Kwanzaa Hall will fill that seat for just a few weeks. Their election is also on Dec. 1.
Senate District 39 spans from north Buckhead, snaking roughly 20 miles along Interstate 85 down to past Hapeville. The 5th Congressional District arguably covers most of what people think when they say “Atlanta” — including portions of Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties.
As if that wasn’t mind-boggling enough, those who live in both Senate District 39 and the 5th Congressional District will have to vote twice. They will check in twice and vote on two different machines.
Many elected and appointed Fulton County officials have expressed concern over the confusing process, but they have been told by attorneys that the rules are the rules.
To vote early in the Senate District 39 race, head to these locations between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Wednesday:
Adams Park Library
2231 Campbellton Road SW
Atlanta, Ga. 30311
Buckhead Library
269 Buckhead Avenue NE
Atlanta, Ga. 30305
C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center
3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW
Atlanta, Ga. 30311
College Park Library
3647 Main St.
College Park, Ga. 30337
East Point Library
2757 Main St.
East Point, Ga. 30344
Evelyn G. Lowery Library at Cascade
3665 Cascade Road
Atlanta, Ga. 30331
Gladys S. Dennard Library at South Fulton
4055 Flat Shoals Road
Union City, Ga. 30291
Metropolitan Library
1332 Metropolitan Parkway SW
Atlanta, Ga. 30310
Northwest Branch at Scotts Crossing Library
2489 Perry Boulevard NW
Atlanta, Ga. 30318
Ponce De Leon Library
980 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE
Atlanta, Ga. 30306
Credit: WSBTV Videos
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