The Camden County Board of Elections and Registration certified the June 17 special primary and on a separate motion approved a single election-day polling location for a possible July 15 public service commission runoff, while setting early voting at the Kingsland annex from July 7–11 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Election staff told the board that they had completed reconciliation of the June special primary and that reported vote totals matched the registration and statement-of-votes-cast records. Dennis (elections staff) said the office had “completed preliminary reconciliation on this election” and that “we are 100% reconciled,” meaning every recorded voter could be matched to the precinct and method of voting reported.

The reconciliation underpinning the certification showed 888 total voters in the contest and, staff said, 404 voters had selected a Democratic ballot in the primary (about 0.88% of registered voters). Shannon Nettles, the elections supervisor, told the board those figures are why staff believe Camden County satisfies the eligibility conditions in Georgia Code section 21-2-270 that can allow a county to use a single polling place for a runoff when turnout in the primary is below the statutory threshold.

Board members voted to certify the June 17 special primary; the motion to certify was moved and seconded and the board approved the certification unanimously.

On a separate motion, the board approved limiting election-day voting for a July 15 runoff to one polling location: Woodbine First Baptist Church. That motion was moved, seconded and passed with no oppositions. The board then voted on a separate motion to locate early (advance) voting at the Camden County Annex in Kingsland for five weekdays, July 7–11, and to set the hours at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; that motion also passed.

During discussion before the votes, staff highlighted logistics and legal constraints. Nettles told the board that state guidance from the secretary of state’s office had been provided to county counsel and the county administrator and that, while the county is required to provide at least five days of early voting for a runoff, state law permits a county meeting the low-turnout threshold to have a single election-day polling place located in the precinct containing the county courthouse.

Public commenters and one board member urged extended evening hours during early voting so residents who work outside the county could reach the polling place. Mary Beckman, who identified herself as a resident in District 3, urged the board to “extend early voting into the evening hours” and suggested running at least one 7 a.m.–7 p.m. day to accommodate commuters. Staff responded that adding a Saturday was unlikely because equipment and ballots might not be ready in time and that keeping staff late beyond 6 p.m. would create idle time; staff recommended 9 a.m.–5 p.m. or a modest extension to 6 p.m. The board ultimately approved the 9 a.m.–6 p.m. early voting timeframe.

Board members and staff also noted practical considerations: the single election-day site is intended to reduce costs (staff provided an estimate of at least $10,000 in savings by opening only one election-day location) and the annex early-voting location was chosen to serve southern-county voters from Kingsland and St. Marys.

The board also discussed the upcoming risk-limiting audit scheduled for June 26 and invited members to observe or serve on audit teams. Nettles said the state conducts a random selection for the audit and that the process has not, in her experience, taken more than about three hours for a single county audit.

The board adopted the motions and moved on to other business.