It was a fairly quiet scene at the Perkerson Park Recreation Center in southwest Atlanta on Election Day for the Georgia primaries.
Polling manager Joe Anne Hector said everything was “going fine, but there aren’t many voters.” Ten ballots had been cast by about 8:20 a.m.
This was despite the best efforts of Daniel Johnson, 18, and Stanley Hendricks, 35, who were waving at cars and directing them to the parking lot. They held signs and wore shirts supporting Jozmond Black, a man running against incumbent Kim Schofield to represent the General Assembly’s 60th District.
Hendricks was volunteering for the candidate in the drizzling rain because, he said, Black has a solid background and strong family values.
One of the cars that did pull in held Jan Moore, a crossing guard for nearby Agnes Jones Elementary School for about eight years. She came by during her window between the morning and afternoon shifts, still in her crisp blue uniform.
“We need a change in the White House because I don’t agree with the things that’s going on (there) today,” she said. The 68-year-old voted for Stacey Abrams for governor.
Moore, an Augusta native who has lived in Atlanta since 1983, supports Abrams because she’s “for education and the kids here,” concerns that align with Moore’s job.
“I like her message that she’s sending out to us, which is good for us. To me it is,” she said, placing her palm on her chest. “Plus she’d be the first black woman governor. Not the first black woman president — yet.”
The battle for governor is between two Democratic women and five GOP men: Stacey Abrams (D), Casey Cagle (R), Stacey Evans (D), Hunter Hill (R), Brian Kemp (R), Clay Tippins (R) and Michael Williams (R).
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Voters across the state are reporting to their regular precincts to decide on candidates for governor, Congress and statewide races in the Democratic and Republican primaries. Big primary races includes Congressional races, statehouse seats and down-ticket statewide contests such as state schools superintendent.
Another voter, Miriam Calhoun, said her big concern was not who becomes the next governor. Instead, it is who takes the commissioner of insurance seat.
Calhoun wants someone in office who will lower insurance rates on cars. Yet, she was unsure of who exactly would get her vote as she walked to the front door — she would see who’s running and pick the best one, she said.
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