Kwanza Hall, a former Atlanta City councilman, and Robert Franklin, former president of Morehouse College, advanced to the Dec. 1 runoff in the race to finish the term of U.S. Rep. John Lewis in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District.
By Tyler Estep
DeKalb voters who live in the 5th Congressional District can cast ballots as early as today — yes, today, Nov. 9 — in the special election runoff to fill the unexpired term of late U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
In addition to parts of Fulton and Clayton counties, the 5th District covers a significant chunk of western and southwestern DeKalb. The Dec. 1 runoff pits former Morehouse College president Robert Franklin against former Atlanta city councilman Kwanzaa Hall, with the winner to serve in Congress for just a few weeks.
State Sen. Nikema Williams, who did not run in the special election, replaced Lewis on last week’s general election ballots and will be the next full-term representative from the 5th District.
Early voting in the contest between Franklin and Hall started Monday in DeKalb and is being held at just one location: the DeKalb County elections office at 4380 Memorial Drive near Decatur.
Voting will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Nov. 25.
Saturday voting will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 21.
Those wishing to vote absentee by mail can request a ballot at DeKalbVotes.com. The county has also made nine absentee ballot dropboxes available for the contest. Locations are listed below.
“We understand that this special election may cause some confusion for voters who may have recently cast ballots just days ago,” DeKalb elections director Erica Hamilton said in a press release. “This special election is only for voters residing in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District and will ultimately decide the immediate person to serve the remainder of the late Congressman John Lewis’ term.”
DeKalb County is offering nine absentee ballot dropboxes for the 5th Congressional District special election runoff.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
