DeKalb County’s Voter Registration and Elections office reported Oct. 9 that it has processed a registration backlog and is on schedule for Nov. 4 municipal and Public Service Commission elections.

Director Smith told the Board of Registration and Elections that as of Oct. 7 the county had 565,142 registered voters; by Oct. 9 the office reported 565,384 total registrations, with 498,581 active and 66,803 inactive. Manual voter-registration cancellations to date totaled 2,227; Smith said 1,151 of those were for felony convictions.

Staff reported that 1,128 total applications were in process, including recent batches received from the secretary of state that staff expected to complete by the following day. Absentee ballots requested and received to date numbered 676; the department planned to mail absentee ballots on the first allowable day, Oct. 14, which is also the start of early voting. Ballot proofing was complete, and logic-and-accuracy testing began Monday and was expected to continue through Nov. 1.

On budget matters, Smith said the office is operating within its approved budget and is tracking several anticipated election-period expenses, including poll-worker pay and equipment purchases; a line-item for “other professional services” was described as covering consultants and contracted movers the office uses for elections. Board members asked questions about accounting treatments for benefits and where those expenditures are reconciled.

The board approved the list of election-day poll managers for Nov. 4. Members discussed poll-worker recruitment and turnover: staff said this year saw significant turnover and many new poll workers, and the board reiterated that the application no longer collects party affiliation after a prior vote to remove that field.

The board set a tentative date and time for the statutory pre-certification meeting on Friday, Nov. 7, proposing 9:30 a.m.; Director Smith said staff would confirm availability and scheduling. The board also welcomed two new staff additions announced in the director’s report: Sage Reddy, a management fellow with the National Urban Fellows program, and Dr. Jesse Harris, who joined from the Secretary of State’s office.

Board members offered repeated public thanks to staff for clearing the backlog and preparing for the upcoming elections and noted continuing outreach to inform voters of polling locations and signage changes.