AJC reports that 200 request absentee ballots for City of Dunwoody Referendum

Sample Ballot for Dunwoody

The other day I received an e-mail from a board member of the Dunwoody North Civic Association titled, "WooHoo, I already voted!" As it turns out, I believe it was the first recorded vote for cityhood and it came from our neighborhood.

If you are interested in voting early please call the DeKalb County Voter Registration Office at 404-298-4020, or click here to go to the DeKalb County Voter website.

By DAVID MARKIEWICZ for the AJC: 06/06/08

Dunwoody's bid for cityhood appears to be drawing early voter interest.

As of Friday morning, 200 voters in the proposed city had requested absentee ballots from the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections office for the July 15 elections.

Last Monday was the first day voters could ask for absentee ballots to be mailed to them, as well as the first day they could go to the elections office and vote in person on electronic machines.

Although several political offices will be contested July 15, including county chief executive officer and three county commission seats, the key ballot item for most residents of Dunwoody likely is the referendum that, if passed, would grant the north DeKalb community status as a city.

According to elections officials, 120 voters requested a Republican ballot across Dunwoody's 13 precincts, 76 requested a Democratic ballot, and four asked for a nonpartisan ballot.

So far, elections officials said, only four people have actually returned their ballots: Two were from the Peachtree Middle School precinct who mailed in their Democratic ballots, one was from the Dunwoody High School precinct who mailed in a Republican ballot, and one voter from the North Peachtree precinct voted in person by machine on the Democratic ballot.

Most absentee ballots were mailed Monday, an elections worker said.

The Dunwoody question voters face reads: "Shall the Act incorporating the City of Dunwoody in DeKalb County according to the charter contained in the Act and the homestead exemptions described in the Act be approved?"

To vote absentee, citizens must provide a reason they can't vote in person July 15. Among the reasons: The voter will be out of the voting precinct all day on election day, is 75 years of age or older, or has a physical disability.