Candler County Probate Court

https://candlerga.ballottrax.net/voter/

Advanced in Person voting is underway for the June 9, 2020 election. Advanced voting takes place at the Jack Strickland Building 621 W. Pine St. in Metter (at the Recreation Dept.) Due to health concerns with COVID-19 there are a few guidelines added this year. 1. Polls are open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday from May 18 until June 5th. Saturday voting will be held on May 30 - same hours and location. Polls will be closed on Monday May 25th for Memorial Day. 2. ...Wearing a mask is encouraged but not required. 3. Hand sanitizer is available for use before and after voting. 4. Spacing will be marked on the floor to help voters adhere to social distancing. 5. Absentee ballots may be dropped off at the same location. If you wish, a poll worker will meet you at your vehicle. Just park in front of the building and call 685-6687 and a poll worker will come out to assist you. 6. We will be sanitizing the touchscreen ballot marking devices throughout the day. Please be patient as staff takes time to do this. 7. When coming to vote please have your Georgia Driver’s License or photo identification out and ready. This will speed your voting process. 8. On a side note: the U.S. Senate seat to replace Johnny Isakson (currently held by interim appointee Kelly Loeffler) will be a "jungle" primary included in the November General Election ballot. It will not be on this current ballot. We thank you for your patience and participation! Be safe and vote! Tony Thompson Candler County Probate Judge and Election Supt. See more

Good morning everyone! Advanced in Person voting begins today for the June 9, 2020 election. Advanced voting takes place at the Jack Strickland Building 621 W. Pine St. in Metter (at the Recreation Dept.) Due to health concerns with COVID-19 there are a few guidelines added this year. 1. Polls are open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday from May 18 until June 5th. Saturday voting will be held on May 30 - same hours and location. 2. Wearing a mask is encouraged... but not required. 3. Hand sanitizer is available for use before and after voting. 4. Spacing will be marked on the floor to help voters adhere to social distancing. 5. Absentee ballots may be dropped off at the same location. If you wish, a poll worker will meet you at your vehicle. Just park in front of the building and call 685-6687 and a poll worker will come out to assist you. 6. We will be sanitizing the touchscreen ballot marking devices throughout the day. Please be patient as staff takes time to do this. 7. When coming to vote please have your Georgia Driver’s License or photo identification out and ready. This will speed your voting process. We thank you for your understanding and patience at this time. Be safe and vote! Tony Thompson Candler County Probate Judge and Election Supt. See more

In compliance with the recent orders by Governor Brian Kemp and Chief Justice Harold D. Melton, Candler County Probate Court will resume processing new and renewal weapons carry licenses on Monday May 18th by appointments thirty minutes apart. Renewals will be processed Monday through Friday. New applications will be done on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. We ask customers to be prepared to observe social distancing while they are served. Please call 685-2357 to schedule your appointments. Thank you all for your cooperation and continue to stay safe!

Per OCGA 21-2-379.6 (c) Logic and Accuracy testing of the voting equipment to be used in the upcoming election was slated to begin tomorrow Wed. April 15 at 9:00 a.m. at the Jack Strickland Community Center. With candidates qualifying this week for the special election to fill the State Senate District 4 seat (of Sen. Jack Hill - deceased) the testing will be rescheduled to a later date.

Updated Election Calendar for 2020

We are proceeding with absentee ballot processing as usual. Voters can check the status of their absentee requests (and a sample soon) on the Georgia My Voter Page online. Please continue to request absentee ballots if you wish to do so. Early in person voting will begin on May 18th at the Jack Strickland building at 621 W. Pine St. in Metter and the new election day is June 9th. Please note...: Absentee Ballots requests that have been sent thru the mail already and those absentee ballots that will be sent or have been sent will still be good for the June 9th Election. Voters should be aware that this is a continuation of the Presidential Preference Primary and the May 19th election and not a new election. This is the partisan primary for candidates for U.S. President, U.S. Congress, State Legislature and our local partisan races including Sheriff, Commission Chair, Commissioners, Coroner, Clerk of Court, Tax Commissioner and all non partisan races like local school board and judges. https://sos.ga.gov//raffensperger_announces_postponement_o

Senior Probate Judge, Hon. William J Self posted this: Well, folks, unfortunately, NOW is the time to make sure your affairs are in order, if you have not alrea...dy done so!! So many people, of all adult ages, do not have Wills, powers of attorney, and/or (VERY IMPORTANT NOW) advanced directives for health care. CALL YOUR ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY TODAY. MOST OF THESE DOCUMENTS CAN BE PREPARED AFTER TELEPHONE OR OTHER TELECONFERENCING. FOR NOW, THE SIGNING AND WITNESSING MUST STILL BE DONE IN PERSON BUT THAT CAN LIKELY BE ARRANGED WITH SOME SOCIAL DISTANCING. THIS CANNOT CURRENTLY BE DONE IN ANY NURSING HOME AND SOME REHAB AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. OBVIOUSLY, IT LIKELY WILL NOT BE ARRANGED IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SICK OR HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHO IS SICK. YOUR ATTORNEY MAY BE ABLE TO ARRANGE THE SIGNING IN OFFICE WITH YOU, THE ATTORNEY, AND THE WITNESSES ALL REMAINING AT LEAST SIX FEET APART (BUT WITHIN FULL SIGHT OF EACH OTHER). THAT MAY BE ONE CALL THAT MANY OF YOU NEED TO MAKE. WHEN WE GET THROUGH WITH THIS CRISIS, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE THIS PRE-PLANNING, MAKE IT A PRIORITY, PLEASE! (That's my "public service announcement" for today.)

It is with sincere regret that I must share the passing of our first Probate Judge in the state of Georgia to Covid-19. Judge Nancy Stephenson of Dougherty County in Albany. She and her husband both contracted the illness and were quarantined. While quarantined she was thought to be recovering but took a turn for the worse yesterday. I send our thoughts and prayers out to her family. Her bravery and wit in tough circumstances was exceptional. Her untimely death serves to remind us all to take the prescribed precautions and pull together to slow the spread.

Absentee ballots for the Presidential Preference Primary can still be requested at the Registrar’s office 1075 East Hiawatha St. 685-6687 thru Friday May 20th. Absentee ballots for the May 19th primary can also be requested now as well.

Chief Justice Harold D. Melton of the Georgia Supreme Court issued an order declaring a judicial emergency in the state of Georgia. This means for the time being (the next 30 days) only essential functions of the Probate Court (and other courts) will be available. In the Probate Court we will continue to operate but we may have to schedule some things by appointment only and may reduce some non-essential services until the emergency is lifted. Essential functions will include Orders to Apprehend, probate of time sensitive estates, Mental Health hearings and emergency guardianships of minors and adults, and the issuance of death certificates to name a few. Feel free to call us at the Probate Court 685-2357 if you want to make an appointment. With kindness, prayer and patience we will ALL get back to regular functions soon.

Georgia Secretary of State has suspended in person early voting for the presidential preference primary. Voting will resume in conjunction with the May 19th general primary. This weekend we pulled the early voting signs from locations around town. We are grateful for our team of poll workers and election officers who are dedicated to seeing that the voting process works for everyone. All votes cast thus far are safely guarded. Mail in absentee ballots will proceed as usual. More details forthcoming. An updated election schedule will be posted soon.