Early voting starts Monday

GAINESVILLE - Early voting starts Monday in Gainesville and the rest of the state for the Feb. 5 presidential primaries, and special elections in at least three northeast Georgia counties.

On the Forsyth County ballot: A 1 percent sales tax extension and bond issue for parks and recreation and green space.

Gwinnett County will vote on a $750 million school bond issue. The money would be used to fund projects for the county school district, such as acquiring sites for the construction of new schools, support facilities and athletic facilities, as well as the expansion of existing schools. Funds also would be used for technology improvements.

Jackson County's ballot will feature a question about Sunday liquor sales and a $15 million parks and recreation bond issue.

Voting in most counties will take place at the county elections office. That is the case in Hall County. The office has recently moved and is now on Browns Bridge Road at Skelton Road in the old Wal-Mart Shopping Center.

Secretary of State Karen Handel emphasizes that a photo ID will be required for advance voting as well as voting on Feb. 5. (Go to the Secretary of State's Web site - http://www.sos.ga.gov - and click on Elections for more information on voting in Georgia, including early voting).

Even though some of the candidates have dropped out of the presidential race, their names will appear on the Feb. 5 ballots because of the lead time needed for printing ballots.

Candidates who will appear on the Georgia Democratic ballot:

Biden, Joseph R. "Joe", Jr.
Clinton, Hillary Rodham
Dodd, Christopher J. "Chris"
Edwards, John
Gravel, Mike
Kucinich, Dennis J.
Obama, Barack
Richardson, William B. "Bill", III

Candidates who will appear on the Georgia Republican ballot:

Giuliani, Rudolph W.
Huckabee, Mike
Hunter, Duncan
Keyes, Alan L.
McCain, John S.
Paul, Ron
Romney, Mitt
Tancredo, Thomas Gerald "Tom"
Thompson, Fred Dalton