by Robin Kemp
5:27 p.m. Ed. Note: Due to a technical issue, the post of the full story text had to be restored. As a stopgap measure, the full text was read as a Facebook Live before repairs began. You can listen to the full story here:
The Presidential recount is over in Clayton County but the results have yet to be announced. The Secretary of State’s deadline is 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. We’re keeping an eye on things and will let you know of any developments.
Meanwhile, there’s no respite for the Elections and Registration Office, with the U.S. House District 5 runoff tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 1. The office had to suspend advance/absentee ballot counting on Nov. 24 in order to deal with the statewide Presidential recount. That will resume at 7 a.m. on Election Day, Dec. 1, at 7946 N. McDonough Street, also known as “The Bunker.”
This effort will be followed by logic and accuracy testing of the “ballot marking devices” colloquially known as voting machines on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. for the two U.S. Senate races coming up on January 5. L&A testing will take place at 7946 N. McDonough Street.
Both Democratic and Republican Party organizers have expressed concern about getting out the vote for the U.S. Senate runoff. Whoever wins this vote will determine the balance of power in the Senate, which has been under Republican control for years.
No council meetings are happening this week in any of the municipalities.
However, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners meets every week in December. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, the agenda (full agenda packet with supporting documents here) includes a fourth-quarter presentation on MARTA, along with recognition of the Veteran of the Month, plus:
- A resolution to approve $1 million in CARES Act (COVID-19 emergency) funding to help renters facing eviction in Magistrate Court from losing their homes this holiday season. Landlords would have to agree to the settlement, which would allow tenants to stay for a limited period of time, based on partial payment of back rent, and “such must be referred and recommended to Clayton County staff for consideration by the Clayton County Magistrate Court;”
- A resolution to approve the county entering a $120,000, 12-month contract with Atlanta-based lobbying firm Ohio River South, Inc. for lobbying services during the Georgia legislative session;
- Numerous board appointments for members whose terms are expiring on Dec. 31;
- Updating stormwater management requirements for new development and redevelopment;
- Asking the Georgia Public Defenders Council for permission for the county to keep the $50 application fee from indigent defendants. The fee is used to check whether a person is actually indigent.
The Clayton Crescent’s Robin Kemp was a guest on VoteHer, a podcast by “Atlanta’s Media Maven” Mara Davis and Georgia State Sen. Jen Jordan (D-6). Give the show a listen on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast-purveying platform.
