MACON, Ga. — On Tuesday, the Bibb County Board of Elections voted to hold Saturday voting on November 26 according to Mercer University CCJ's Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian who was present at the vote.
The Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ruled on Monday that counties may offer early voting the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The court denied emergency motions from the State of Georgia, the Georgia Republican Party, the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee Monday evening.
Georgia Republican leaders argue that state law prohibits early voting on a holiday weekend.
The ruling reversed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's interpretation of the law regarding early voting before the Dec. 6 runoff between Sen. Raphael Warnock and his Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
Warnock's campaign, along with the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, filed a lawsuit challenging the secretary of state's guidance. The groups argued that laws barring Saturday voting on or near a holiday applied only to primaries and elections. Under state law, runoffs are defined as a separate type of election.
Voting in Bibb on Saturday will only happen at 2525 Pio Nono from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Early voting begins on Monday, November 28.
Polling places will be open next week from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30p.m. on Pio Nono and Theron Ussery North Macon Park. Elaine Lucas Center is also booked.
Chair Mike Kaplan apologizes they couldn’t do more.
Houston County election officials say they will not offer Saturday voting.
13WMAZ has reached out to a few other Central Georgia Counties and so far only Bibb and Baldwin are offering Saturday voting.
We are working to get more confirmation from other counties.