Voters head to the polls Tues.; seats up for grabs on BOE

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, November 7, to cast their ballots in the General Election.

The local races appearing on the ballot are as follows:

Chairman of the Lincoln County Board of Education - Robert J. Williams (incumbent) and Denise Freeman.

District 2 representative on the board of education - Glenn E. Creech and Gail G. Remsen.

District 3 representative on the board of education - Wayne Williford (incumbent) and Willie Glaze.

District 4 representative on the board of education - Becky Beggs Reed (incumbent).

District 1 seat on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners - Alcye Y. Hawes (D) [incumbent] and James Darrell Henderson (R).

District 2 commission seat - Larry Collins (R) [incumbent].

Supervisor of the Lincoln County Soil and Water Conservation District - Leroy Bufford (incumbent).

Other races impacting Lincoln County voters include:

Governor - Sonny Perdue (R) [incumbent]; Mark Taylor (D); and Garrett Michael Hayes (Libertarian).

Lieutenant Governor - Casey Cagle (R); Jim Martin (D); and Allen Buckley (L).

Secretary of State - Karen Handel (R); Gail Buckner (D); and Kevin Madsen (L).

Attorney General - Thurbert Baker (D) [incumbent] and Perry McGuire (R).

Commissioner of Agriculture - Tommy Irvin (D) [incumbent]; Gary Black (R); and Jack Cashin (L).

Commissioner of Insurance - John W. Oxendine (R) [incumbent] and Guy Drexinger (D).

State School Superintendent - Kathy Cox (R) [incumbent]; Denise Majette (D); and David Chastain (L).

Commissioner of Labor - Michael "Mike" Thurmond (D) [incumbent] and Brent Brown (R). Public Service Commissioner to

Succeed David L. Burgess - David L. Burgess (D) [incumbent]; Chuck Eaton (R); and Paul MacGregor (L).

Public Service Commissioner to Succeed Stancil O. Wise - Stan Wise (R) [incumbent]; Dawn Randolph (D); and Kevin Cherry (L).

United States Congressman from the 10th District - Charlie Norwood (R) [incumbent] and Terry Holley (D).

State Senator from the 24th District - Jim Whitehead, Sr. (R) [incumbent].

State Representative from the 117th District - Barry Fleming (R) [incumbent].

Also appearing on the ballot are three constitutional amendments. They are:

(1) To restrict the use of eminent domain.

This proposal provides several limitations with respect to the exercise of the power of eminent domain and the taking of private property for public purposes.

It states that:

Any taking of private property for redevelopment purposes must be approved by vote of the appropriate elected city or county governing authority.

Any taking of private property for redevelopment purposes must be for a public use as defined by general state law.

The exercise of eminent domain by cities and counties can be restricted by general state law and that any exercise of eminent domain by a nonelected housing or development authority must be approved by vote of the appropriate elected city or county governing authority.

(2) To protect the traditions of fishing and hunting.

This proposal provides that the tradition of fishing and hunting and the taking of fish and wildlife will be preserved for the people and managed by law and regulation for the public good.

(3) To authorize the General Assembly to dedicate revenue from

special motor vehicle license plates.

This proposal authorizes the General Assembly to provide for special motor vehicle license plates to be made available for optional purchase. The legislature is further authorized to dedicate some or all of the revenue from the sale of the special plates to programs relating to the subject of the special plate.

The dedicated revenue may go to an agency, a fund, or a non-profit corporation and may be for the ultimate use of a non-profit corporation if found to benefit both the state and the non-profit corporation.

Any law of this type would have to be passed by a two-thirds' majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In addition to the constitutional amendments, there are six statewide referendum questions on the ballot. They are as follows:

(A) To expand the ad valorem tax exemption for farm equipment.

This act expands eligibility for the existing ad valorem tax exemption for farm tractors, combines, and other farm equipment so that the exemption will apply to equipment which is held under a lease purchase agreement.

(B) To expand the ad valorem exemption for veterans organizations to include organizations that refurbish and operate historic military aircraft for educational purposes.

This act expands the existing ad valorem tax exemption for certain veterans organizations to include property which is owned by and used exclusively by any veterans organization that:

1. Qualifies as a non-profit organization under the IRS Code.

2. Has been organized for the purpose of refurbishing and operating historic military aircraft acquired from the federal government and other sources, making such aircraft air-worthy, and putting such aircraft on display to the public for educa- tional purposes.

(C) To expand the ad valorem tax exemption for property for charitable institutions.

This expands the ad valorem tax exemption for property of charitable institutions so that the exemption will apply to real estate or buildings which are owned by a charitable institution that is exempt from taxation under the IRS Code and used by the charitable institution for the purpose of securing income, so long as such income is used exclusively for the operation of that charitable institution.

(D) To provide a homestead exemption to certain residents who are senior citizens with respect to state ad valorem taxes.

This section grants an exemption from all state ad valorem property taxes to the homestead of a person who is 65 years of age or over, to include the primary residence and not more than 10 contiguous acres of land. The exemption does not apply to taxes levied by local governments.

(E) To provide a homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a peace officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty.

This section provides that the "unremarried" surviving spouse of a peace officer or firefighter who was killed in the line of duty will be entitled to a total exemption of the homestead from all ad valorem taxes.

(F) To provide that a surviving spouse shall be entitled to a continuation of the base year value under a base year assessed value homestead exemption.

This section relates to "base year assessed value homestead exemptions" also known as homestead freeze exemptions. These are exemptions which increase as long as a person owns a homestead, with the result that the owner does not have an increase in tax liability due to increases in the assessed value of the homestead.

The referendum question proposes that when a property owner with an existing homestead freeze exemption dies, his surviving spouse, who otherwise meets the requirements for the exemption, shall be entitled to continue the exemption with the previously established base year amount. The effect is that the surviving spouse will not incur increased tax liability due to increases in assessed value since the exemption was granted to the deceased spouse.

Polls will be open statewide from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Election Day.

Citizens are asked to present identification at their polling place prior to voting. Acceptable forms of identification include a valid Georgia driver's license, an identification card issued by the state or federal government, a valid United States passport, a valid employee I.D. with a photograph, a valid college I.D. card with a photo, a valid United States military I.D., a valid Social Security card, a certified copy of one's birth certificate, certified naturalization documentation, a valid pilot's license, and a current utility bill or a bank statement (or a copy thereof), showing the name and the address of the voter.

Those who are physically disabled or 75 years of age or older may vote without waiting in line between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The polling places are as follows:

Precinct 1-A - The building beside the Midway Volunteer Fire Department on Midway Church Road, off of Highway 79.

Precinct 1-B - The Lincolnton Clubhouse on N. Peachtree Street.

Precinct 2 - The Lincoln Center at 160 May Avenue.

Precinct 3-A - Faith Temple, which is situated at the intersection of the Thomson Highway and Leathersville Road.

Precinct 3-B - Tabernacle Baptist Church, located near the intersection of Highway 220 West and the Augusta Highway.

Precinct 4-A - Bethany United Methodist Church on Bethany Church Road.

Precinct 4-B - The voting booth beside Tankersley's Store on Double Branches Road.

Citizens should keep in mind that "advance" voting at the Lincoln County Board of Elections and Registration Office at The Lincoln Center will continue through Friday, November 3.

In essence, advance voting allows an individual to cast his ballot in person at the elections office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. the week prior to an election. No reason or explanation is required.

It must be noted that individuals may not advance vote the Monday preceding the election.

Concerning absentee ballots, the deadline for requesting that an absentee ballot be mailed to one's residence is Friday, November 3.

Applications for absentee ballots must contain the voter's name, address, date of birth, and signature; the name and date of the election; the address to which the ballot is to be mailed if different from the registered address; and a contact telephone number.

In a departure from the past, the applicant does not have to provide a reason for voting by absentee ballot.

Requests for absentee ballots must be made in writing. The written statements may be faxed to 1-706-359- 7396, hand-delivered to the elections office, or mailed to the Lincoln County Board of Elections and Registration at P.O. Box 1419, Lincolnton, Georgia, 30817.

Absentee ballot request forms may be obtained by visiting the county's website at . The site also features sample ballots for the upcoming election.

All absentee ballots must be returned to the elections and registration office by 5 p.m. on Election Day.

For more information about the General Election, contact the elections and registration office at 706- 359-6126.