Towns elections in need of poll managers and workers

HIAWASSEE, Ga – Towns County Elections and Registration Office needs poll workers for the upcoming 2022 election season.

“With COVID, we’re having a problem getting poll workers guys. We need experienced poll workers especially,” Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw said at the county meeting.

Many poll workers are older, and COVID-19 predominately affects that age group. Anyone interested in becoming a poll worker can visit the Elections Office next to the civic center and ask for Office Supervisor Rachel Edwards.

The November election appears to be covered, but the 2022 election needs more people.

If they can’t appropriately cover the mid-term elections, the idea being floated is the Macedonia and Hiawassee vote at the same precinct. Young Harris would vote at the same location. It would be a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

“In order to do that, you have to get that to the state, the end of October, early November,” Bradshaw added.

Poll workers would need to be signed up by mid-October of this year for the 2022 election or the temporary combining of precincts might be necessary.

“Our challenge is we need managers. Poll workers, we desperately need, and right now we’re so short on managers,” Elections and Registration Chairman Janet Oliva explained. “Although we’re short on poll workers without those seasoned managers, it’s a challenge of trying to get them trained that’s not something you can do overnight and that’s been our challenge.”

Bradshaw asked people to reach out to others to try and help the county find poll workers and experienced managers.

Bradshaw commented that COVID-19 in Towns County appears to be on the decline again. He’s also spoken with more and more individuals who are getting vaccinated.

“Talked to the CEO of the hospital quite often and he told me that 93 percent of the COVID patients in the hospital are unvaccinated. That tells me a lot right there, I’m not one of these guys gonna tell people what to do, but the numbers don’t lie. They tell you how it is. Anyway, we’re very happy about that as we go into the fall season and the holiday season,” Bradshaw stated.

The 2020 audit will likely be presented at the next meeting.

The transfer station will soon be separated according to commercial and bag garbage. New signage will direct people on where to go. People will be able to just drop their bagged garbage over a two-foot wall. It’s expected to be completed this fall.

Courthouse progress has slowed down due to the market and the inability to readily gather materials. However, soon Bradshaw hopes to start interviewing construction companies for the project.