Polls will be open until 7 p.m. Tuesday as Effingham County voters decide three county commission races and one school board race.

District 2 commission incumbent Vera Jones faces challenger and former commission chairman Dusty Zeigler. District 3 incumbent Steve Mason is opposed by Jamie Deloach, and District 5 incumbent Phil Kieffer is challenged by former county administrator David Crawley. All three contests are part of the Republican primary and there is no Democratic opposition for the seats.

Four people are running for the non-partisan District 4 school board seat to replace Mose Mock, who stepped down earlier this year. The candidates are Beth Helmly, Faith Jaudon, Ben Johnson and Amanda Phillips.

More than 1,000 Effingham voters have cast their ballot already, with 966 taking advantage of early voting and another 76 submitting absentee ballots. Early voting ended Friday.

There also are several statewide and federal races, including contested campaigns in the U.S. House 1st District and for governor.
The Democratic Party has five local questions on the ballot, and the statewide organization has four questions.

On the local ballot are:
1. The state and the county have made substantial cuts in library funding. Do you agree that the county should improve funding of our libraries so the operating hours of the libraries can be expanded to provide greater access to their facilities, books, computers, and special programs?
2. Currently, the county commission chair is allowed to vote only when there is a tie among the remaining commissioners. Do you agree our elected county commission chair should be given the right to vote at all times?
3. Since our county commission chair is not allowed to vote and we are paying this elected official, do you agree we should eliminate this position on the county commission? 
4. Do you favor being allowed to purchase electricity from a competing energy provider?
5. Do you favor allowing elected officials who have outstanding ethics fines to re-run for office?

Questions on the statewide Democratic ballot are:
1. Should Georgia raise the state minimum wage above the current $5.15 an hour?
2. Should Georgians’ federal tax dollars be returned to Georgia to fund Medicaid expansion and relieve the indigent-care burden on our hospitals?
3. Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to create an independent ethics commission, not tied to the governor’s office, legislature or other elected office, to more effectively police potential ethics violations by elected officials?
4. Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to make the education budget Georgia’s first funding priority?

Voters have to declare if they are voting in the Republican or Democratic primary and cannot vote in both primaries.

Headed to the polls
Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

More information on what voters need to bring to the polls and on where they can vote can be found at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Polling places

District 1
1A - Zion Lutheran Church Social Hall, 121 Noel C. Conaway Rd.
1B - Sandhill Baptist Church, 1931 Sandhill Rd.
1C - Meldrim Baptist Church, 229 Ohoopee Ave
1D - Faulkville Baptist Church, 144 Zeigler Rd.

District 2
2A - Church of Christ, 1952 Noel C. Conaway Rd.
2B - St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 155 GoshenR d.
2C - Grace Community Church, 1094 Goshen Rd.

District 3
3A - Elam Egypt Baptist Church, 184 5th St.
3B - Clyo Community Center, 545 Fair St., Clyo
3C - Bethel Lutheran Church, 1984 Highway 21
3D - Pilgrim Baptist Association, 810 Central Blvd., Guyton

District 4
4A - Springfield Methodist Family Life Center, 210 Cleveland St., Springfield
4B - Rincon Church of God Family Life Center, 3430 Highway 21, Rincon
4C - Effingham Multi Agency Call Center, 181 Recycle Way, Guyton

District 5
5A - Macomber Recreational Center, 1004 Lexington Ave.
5B - Rincon Baptist Temple, 305 Weisenbaker Rd.
5C - First Christian Church, 5835 Highway 21