Techno-savvy poll worker shortage critical

Exit polls from the Secretary of State indicate more than 2-million Georgians voted on Super Tuesday 2008. The higher than expected turnout could be an indicator of what's to come this November. And that has some election officials concerned because, in some precincts the waiting time exceeded two hours. That's due in part to a shortage of "techno" savvy polls workers faced for the first time with a completely automated balloting procedure.

Claire Schexnyder is with Georgia Election Protection. Her group is working with several metro-Atlanta counties to recruit computer literate poll workers ahead of November's race.

"The ballot is going to be much longer in November. And, if we have a slow computerized check in process, the lines will be that much longer. So, anything we can do to have more computer savvy poll workers, the better."

Georgia was the first state in the country to fully switch to computer balloting. However, concerns over touch screen computers continue. In March of this year, a group known as VoterGA filed a lawsuit to ban electronic voting machines in Georgia.

Georgia primary includes some local measure voting

Georgia's presidential primary voting on Tuesday included voters in some counties casting ballots for local measures. A sampling:

- A referendum to allow liquor-by-the-drink sales in Lumpkin County passed Tuesday.
- In Jackson County, efforts to allow Sunday alcohol sales were rebuffed.
- Newton County voters granted senior citizens exemption from school property taxes.
- Voters in Colquitt, Madison, Jones, and Polk counties all approved local sales tax measures for schools and other projects.

In other measures passed:

- Clayton County voted for a sales tax increase to help pay for new county facilities.
- Gwinnett County approved a bond referendum to build more schools.
- Voters in Atlanta said yes to extending an existing sales tax to fund repairs to the city's sewer system.
- Forsyth County approved a sales tax for road improvements and property tax increase for more county parks.

Super Tuesday voting underway in Georgia

The polls are open across Georgia, and will stay open until 7pm tonight. The Secretary of State's office says registered voter turnout for Georgia will likely exceed 30%. This is the fourth election to put the new photo voter ID requirement to use, but the first real statewide test of the law approved by a federal judge in September.

State election officials report advance voting was strong in the state last week. Over 203-thousand people cast ballots from January 28th through February 1st. Over 44-thousand residents cast absentee ballots.

Stay with GPB all day long, via your local radio station or right here by our website. On GPB-Radio, get the latest in Georgia's voting with news in All Things Considered beginning at 4pm, with Georgia Gazette at 6pm, and within NPR's special primary coverage at 8pm on GPB-Radio. GPB's reporters will be fanned-out across the state to give you the flavor as to how Georgians are voting.

Republican Overview for Super Tuesday

Several new polls out today show the Republican primary contest between former Massachuttest Governor Mitt Romney (R) and Arizona Senator John McCain (R) tightening in Georgia.

Generally speaking, by this time in the primary, Georiga's, rural Republicans have coalesced around a GOP candidate. This year, though, that is not happening. Floyd County GOP chair, Martha Bryant, said what is driving the division among rural Republicans is different issues-- such as the economy and the Iraq War.

"It is really difficult because whoever you talk to, either one of those might be there main issue. And, that is why it is so hard to coalesce around one candidate," said Bryant.

Bryant said many of the rank and file Republicans she speaks with like McCain's position on the War, Romney's vision for the economy, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. By Tuesday night, Bryant said the state's GOP will know what issue Republican voters care about most by looking at which candidate wins Georgia.

Georgia primary turnout could top 30 percent

Georgia is among the two dozen states holding presidential primary voting in tomorrow’s Super Tuesday across the nation. Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel says she’s been told by county officials that they expect between 30-35 percent of the state’s registered voters to participate. If that holds true, the number would be roughly double the 17-percent of voters who turned out in 2004. Not since 1992 has Georgia seen voter turnout for a primary above 30-percent. That’s when Bill Clinton was the Democratic side winner--the elder George Bush the Republican.

Clinton, Obama in Georgia yesterday

Hillary Clinton addresses the Wednesday meeting of the North American Baptist Convention. (Katy Pando)

The remaining Democratic presidential candidates were in Georgia yesterday, appearing six days before the state's participation in Super Tuesday.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama spoke about their campaigns to a meeting of black Baptist groups in Atlanta.

Later, Clinton addressed Democratic party leaders at their annual Jefferson/Jackson fundraising dinner, pushing her run for president.

Early voting strong for Super Tuesday

Early voting is drawing thousands of Georgians to the polls this week in advance of next Tuesday's presidential primary. The state is on pace to eclipse turnout in the last presidential primary contest four years ago. So far, more than 57,000 Georgians have cast ballots through early voting or mail-in absentee ballots. That's more than double that did so during the same time period in the 2004 presidential primary. Early voting began yesterday and lasts through Friday.