Fresh Loaf

UPDATE: Bah, semantics! Received word that I garbled some of the terminology on the post. It’s been corrected.

Were you one of the 2 million Georgians who enjoyed his or her early voting experience? The long lines, the new friends, the chance you may have ended up as a “missed connection” on Craigs List?

Good news! Absentee and early voting will be available for the Dec. 2 runoff.

After Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel certifies election results next week, state election maestros and county election officials will start coordinating the runoff.

Matt Carrothers, Handel’s spokesman, told me these details over the phone a few minutes ago:

Early voting is anticipated to begin Nov. 17. According to Handel’s office:

Counties can begin early voting. While it is a county-by-county decision, there should be consistency state-wide.

Advance voting will be held Monday through Wednesday (Nov. 24-26) during the week of Thanksgiving. County election offices are closed Thursday and Friday because of the holiday.

If you voted by mail-in or absentee ballot in the General Election, you’ll have to re-request a ballot. You can download an application at the Secretary of State’s website or pick one up at your county election office. (Or just click here.) To find your county election office, click here. Applications can either be dropped off, mailed, or faxed as well.

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Jim Galloway of the AJC’s Political Insider — who did a great job as a panelist during last night’s Atlanta Press Club U.S. Senate debate/finger-pointing quibblefest — posts a memo from State Elections Boardmember Randy Evans. Evans says it could be Wednesday morning before all votes are counted.

From the memo:

Based on the most recent data, it appears that there are in fact three real reasons regarding why Georgia may not know the winner of the 2008 general election until Wednesday.

If we have a two- to four-hour line, as expected in many precincts around Georgia, it could be 9 p.m. or later before voters are done. Counties that finish earlier can start to tabulate votes immediately and some returns will come in early. However, the outcome will likely have to wait until all votes are in, and then tabulated. This could be late on Tuesday or possibly on Wednesday morning.

He then reminds us of absentee and provisional ballots. Click here to read what Evans has to say about those pesky devils.

(Awesome Vivarin car photo from RacingRoadTrip)

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