FREE VOLUME 24 NUMBER 36
OCTOBER 27, 2018
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Democratic Party of Georgia: 4,700 DeKalb voters never received absentee ballots By Valerie J. Morgan
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he Democratic Party of Georgia’s is urging voters to cast their ballots in person during the early voting period, after learning that thousands of voters—4,700 of them in DeKalb County—never received absentee ballots they requested. The early voting period started Oct. 15 and ends Nov. 2. Rebecca DeHart, executive director for the Democratic Party of Georgia, said the DeKalb Board of Registration & Elections never mailed absentee ballots to an estimated 4,700 applicants who requested them—some of them as early as September. DeHart said the Party tracked a mailer that was sent to voters who requested absentee ballots and discovered county registrars never fulfilled the requests. “People have been calling the hotline saying they never received the absentee ballots. We’re not sure what happened,” DeHart said. “We’re being proactive and getting the word out to tell them to early vote. We’re also calling people who are on the list as backup to what DeKalb elections officials are doing.” Sam Tillman, chairman of the DeKalb County Board of Voter
Registration and Elections, issued a statement refuting the Party’s claims: “DeKalb County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is in receipt of a list, provided by the Democratic Party of Georgia, of approximately 4,700 registered voters that the Party claims requested absentee ballot forms via a mailer sent out by the Party. After reviewing the list of names, there is evidence that the county received 48 of those voter absentee ballot request forms. All 48 of those forms have been processed. At this time, there is no evidence that there are any missing or lost absentee ballot request forms,” Tillman said. “The Elections Department receives request forms daily and processes them within three days of receipt. At this time there are approximately 250 forms pending processing.” Erica Hamilton, DeKalb’s director of Elections, could not be reached for comment, despite messages left at her office. However, Hamilton told Tillman and the board of elections at the Oct. 11 meeting that her office has been deluged with new voter registrations and absentee ballot requests. Hamilton said that her office had received approximately 40,000 voter registration applications to process and approximately 4,268
absentee ballots that needed to be mailed. She said the office had received about 500 absentee applications per day, according to the board’s minutes from the meeting. Political observers credit Georgia’s heated governor’s race for the surge in early voting and absentee ballots. According to WSB-TV, to the GeorgiaVotes. com website, which compiles data made available by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, 41.9% of all absentee ballot requests are coming from African-American voters, while 44.7% are coming from white voters. DeHart said Congressman Hank Johnson has produced a public service announcement on behalf of the Democratic Party encouraging those who have not received an absentee ballot to cast their ballots in person or call the hotline for assistance, if they still need an absentee ballot. The announcement can be viewed at the Party’s Facebook page: https://www. facebook.com/georgiademocrat/ videos/2194178737524464/ The Democratic Party of Georgia also is encouraging anyone who needs a ride to the polls or has any other voting issue during the elections to call the Party’s hotline: 1-888-7305816.
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Stacey Abrams breaks family tradition, votes early Early voting Oct. 15-Nov. 2 Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams cast her ballot on Oct. 15, the first day of early voting, at The Gallery at South DeKalb Mall. Abrams posted a video about the event on Instagram: “Today, I voted early with my family by my side. I voted early in my community, with my community, and most importantly, for my community. In the past, I always cast my ballot on Election Day. That’s when my parents would take me and my siblings to vote with them. But this year, we're leaving nothing to chance. We're getting our votes in early so we have time to fix any problems that could arise – and plenty of time to knock on doors and multiply our votes over these last 15 days. I voted for me and @GeorgiaDemocrat up and down the ballot – but we can’t win on our own. We need you to roll up your sleeves and help get out the (early) vote right now.”
Vigil held for Decatur High grad Kennedy Segars By Travis Hudgons
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Kennedy Segars father, Marvin Segars. Photos by Travis Hudgons
he Decatur High School community mourned the loss of one of its bright stars. Hundreds turned out on the evening of Oct. 24 for a candlelight prayer vigil at Decatur High School for 18-year-old graduate Kennedy Segars. She was killed in a DUIrelated crash earlier this month. The emotional gathering included remarks from friends and family members, prayer and singing. The Decatur High School cheerleaders performed a special cheer for Segars, who was on the cheer squad while at Decatur. “She was very special. She wasn’t average,” said Kennedy’s father, Marvin Segars. “She’s going to be missed. I love her so much. I want to thank the Decatur High School for treating her like family.” Kennedy Segars, who had entered her freshman year at Alabama State University, was
in town visiting her family when the crash occurred on Oct. 13. She died from her injuries after her vehicle was rear-ended by a man traveling over 70 mph at the intersection of Klondike Road and Mall Parkway near The Mall at Stonecrest. The driver, 52-year-old Reginald Stubbs, faces four charges including first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI, serious injury by vehicle and following too closely. Segars left behind many people who cared deeply for her. At the vigil, she was described as a leader, energetic and compassionate by those who knew her. “I can’t put my mind around how something like this could
happen to such a great young woman,” said Decatur High Principal Arlethea Williams. “Every time I think about her my heart breaks.” Williams, like others in attendance, shared fond memories of Kennedy. After the on-field activities at Decatur High’s football stadium, the somber group gathered off the field to light candles, release balloons and remember the young lady taken too soon. Funeral services are scheduled for Oct. 26, 11 a.m., at Springfield Baptist Church, 1877 Iris Drive, SE, Conyers. For more photos, visit www. ocgnews.com