It’s time to choose.

Early voting in the primary election started Monday, May 2, in Tift County and across Georgia.

Georgia has open primaries and no one is required to register as a member of either party.

Early voting will run 7 a.m.-7 p.m., May 2-20, and includes 9 a.m.-4 p.m., both Saturdays, May 7 and May 14, election office. 

Primary Election Day is scheduled 7 a.m.-7 p.m., May 24, at various polling places.

A lot is riding on this election.

The selection of candidates to run for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and other statewide and local offices in the general election will be decided.

Locally, some of the primary elections will decide who wins the race since only candidates from one party are running, or in the case of the school board, the election is non-partisan.

Ever since the 2020 election, there have been controversial laws enacted and proposed that threaten to curtail voting. Many people have spoken loudly in opposition to these measures that would make voting more difficult and imperil democracy. 

But as with all elections, voter apathy seems to be the greatest threat to the democratic process.

The percentage of registered voters who actually participate rises only to somewhere in the teens. In some elections, the Tift County voter turnout percentage hasn’t even broken past the single digits.

We encourage all registered voters to cast a ballot.

Though it’s too late to register to vote in the primary, we encourage other residents to register now to vote in the general election in November.