A special election will be held Jan. 31 to fill the House District 119 seat following the resignation of Representative-Elect Danny Rampey. Rampey resigned from the post following his recent arrest on burglary charges in Barrow County.
House District 119 covers a small portion of Jackson County in the Braselton-Hoschton area.
Jackson County residents in State House District 119 who plan to cast their vote on Election Day for the special election will do so at the Braselton Police and Municipal Building, following action by the county elections board. The Jackson County Board of Elections voted to move the polling location from Free Chapel to the Braselton Police and Municipal building during a called meeting Jan. 3. The polling precinct was relocated due to short notice of the special election and because Free Chapel isn’t available on Election Day. The move is temporary, only for the special election.
Elections Director Jennifer Logan told the county elections board that there are a little over 3,000 registered voters in that district in Jackson County. The state requires that letters be sent to those registered voters indicating a polling location change. Logan plans to wait until the end of qualifying on Thursday (Jan. 5) before mailing the letters out. If only one candidate qualifies for the special election this week, the election can be cancelled and that notification won’t be required.
QUALIFYING
Qualifying for the special election is being held this week on: Tuesday, Jan. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Thursday, Jan. 5, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Qualifying will be held at the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office at 2 MLK Jr. Drive, Suite 802, Floyd West Tower, Atlanta.
The qualifying fee is $400.
EARLY VOTING
Early voting hours in Jackson County are slated for:
•Jan. 9-14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
•Jan. 17-21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
•Jan. 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jackson County residents voting in the House District 119 race may vote early at the Ponchie Beck Election Center, located at 441 Gordon St., Jefferson.
Satellite polling locations will not be available in Jackson County for the special election.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Absentee ballot applications may be submitted until Jan. 20.
A drop box will be available for absentee ballots at the Ponchie Beck Election Center (located inside) only during all early voting hours. The drop box will close on January 27 at 5 p.m.
Ballots may be dropped off on Election Day, Jan. 31, until 7 p.m. to the election staff located at 441 Gordon Street in Jefferson. Absentee ballots will not be received at the polling location on Election Day.
RAMPEY ARREST
Rampey was arrested Dec. 15 and charged with burglarizing a residence at Magnolia Estates of Winder Assisted Living Center where he is a manager.
According to Barrow County Sheriff's Office, Rampey, 67, of Statham, broke into the residence and took a quantity of a controlled substance from the unit.
Rampey was charged with unauthorized distribution or possession of a controlled substance, burglary and exploitation and intimidation of disable adults, elderly persons and residents.
BCSO was made aware of suspicious activity involving missing medications in December and initiated an investigation into the allegations. Surveillance operations were used to assist in the collection of evidence of stolen medications.
The residence was not occupied by the resident at the time of Rampey's arrest and no one was injured during the burglary.
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