DeKalb County voters who usually cast ballots at local schools will be heading to new spots this spring, as election officials temporarily relocate eight polling places for the May 19 general primary and a possible June 16 runoff. The reshuffle, approved in mid-February, is a short-term workaround while several DeKalb County School District campuses undergo summer construction.
Instead of voting inside school buildings, affected residents will be redirected to nearby community sites for both elections. According to The Georgia Sun, Cross Keys High precinct voters will now cast ballots at Woodward Elementary, while Ashford Park voters will head to John Lewis Elementary. Champion Theme Middle voters will be moved to St. Michael and All Angels Church, and Wynbrooke Elementary voters will go to Stephenson High. Idlewood will shift to Stone Mountain Middle, Murphey Candler to Arabia Mountain High, Sagamore Hills to Outlet Community Church, and Kingsley Elementary to Kingswood United Methodist.
Board Says Changes Are Temporary; Voters Will Be Notified
The DeKalb elections board signed off on the relocations at its Feb. 12 meeting and emphasized that the changes are temporary, with voters slated to return to their regular precincts for the Nov. 3 general election. WABE reported that DeKalb Voter Registration & Elections Executive Director Keisha Smith told the board, “We will send letters as well as precinct cards to the voters… signage will be placed at each of the locations,” and staff confirmed that every temporary site meets ADA and parking requirements.
The board also locked in early-voting hours for the May primary: April 27 to May 15, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m., aiming to spread turnout beyond Election Day itself.
How to Check Your Polling Place
Voters in the affected precincts are urged to double-check their Election Day locations before they head out. The county recommends using its online voter tools or the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page to confirm assigned polling places. According to DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections, precinct cards and mailed notices will be sent to impacted voters, and provisional ballots are available for out-of-precinct voters after 5 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can also call the elections office for help if they are unsure where to go.
Runoffs Add Complexity, Board Member Says
During the Feb. 12 meeting, board member Vasu Abhirama pointed to the relocations as an example of how Georgia’s separate runoff calendar can complicate election logistics and increase costs for counties. WABE reported that staff told the board every one of the eight changes was necessary to accommodate both the May primary and the possible June runoff, a detail Abhirama highlighted as evidence of the extra burden runoffs create. County staff also said they reviewed turnout patterns and site capacity to avoid overloading any of the temporary locations.
The polling-place shakeup will last only through the May primary and the possible June runoff, after which the county says impacted voters will return to their permanent precincts for the Nov. 3 general election. As reported by The Georgia Sun, officials selected nearby community sites to keep voting accessible while construction work is completed at the schools. Voters with questions can contact the DeKalb Voter Registration & Elections office or use the county’s online resources for updated maps and location details.
