Politics & Government

Election Day Is Almost Here

Duluth and Gwinnett County voters go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6, to decide president, congressman, state and local races.

Well, Election Day is almost here. Tomorrow, Duluth and other voters in Gwinnett County will go to the polls to determine their president, 10th District congressman, members of Senate and House in the Georgia General Assembly, Gwinnett Board of Education representatives and other officials. Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, and remain open until 7 p.m.

Here’s a brief rundown of the candidates and issues of interest to Duluth voters in the Nov. 6 General Election. A sample Duluth ballot and a sample consolidated Gwinnett County ballot to help voters decide accompany this article.

Democratic President Barack Obama, who is seeking re-election to a second four-year term, faces Republican Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts. Also on the ballot are incumbent Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and Romney’s running mate Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. A close election is predicted.

Find out what's happening in Duluthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Also listed on the ballot is Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and Libertarian vice presidential candidate James P. Gray.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville, whose 10th District includes Duluth, is also seeking re-election to a second term. He has been challenged by Democrat Steve Reilly, a Lawrenceville attorney and Peachtree Corners resident.

Find out what's happening in Duluthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Republican Mark Williams of Duluth is running against incumbent District 96 State Rep. Pedro "Pete" Marin, D-Duluth.

Marin, who is seeking re-election to a sixth term, has more than 25 years executive experience in both the private and non-profit sector. The highest ranking Latino Democrat in Georgia, he serves on the Banks and Banking Committee, the Industrial Relations Committee and the Economic Development and Tourism Committee.

Williams is an owner of Printing Trade Company, a Norcross-based company started by his family more than 40 years ago. He is a past chairman of the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District and the Cardinal Lake Estates Homeowners Association.

Incumbent District 48 State Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, is unopposed for re-election. So is incumbent District 5 State Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Tucker.

Incumbent District 97 State Rep. Brooks Coleman, R-Duluth, also has no opposition for re-election after defeating an opponent in the July Primary.

Republican Incumbent District III Gwinnett Board of Education member Dr. Mary Kay Murphy of Peachtree Corners has been challenged by Democrat Jennifer Falk of Berkeley Lake. District III includes Duluth Cluster schools.

Murphy has held the District III BOE seat for 16 years and chaired the school board in 2000, 2004 and 2010. A former teacher, Dr. Murphy has worked at the Georgia Department of Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and Oglethorpe University. For the past 10 years she has served as associate vice president for institutional advancement at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Falk is a founding board member of Ivy Preparatory Academy in Peachtree Corners as well as a founding member of the School-to-Prison Pipeline group. She serves as the special projects director for Parent-to-Parent of Georgia, a statewide nonprofit federally designated parent training and information center under IDEA, which serves families of children and young adults with disabilities.

A controversial charter schools amendment is also on the ballot.

Many voters have voted in advance or are voting absentee. If you haven’t voted yet, visit the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page (MVP) to find the location of your voting precinct and to get a sample ballot that reflects your voting precinct based on your address.

Despite early voting turnout, long lines at the polls are expected. Speed things along by showing up with proper ID and becoming informed so you know how you plan to vote when you enter the voting booth. A pdf outlining voter ID requirements accompanies this article.


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