District 157 Community Town Hall & Saturday Early Voting Guide: October 17 in Glennville

On Saturday, October 17, 2026, our campaign is hosting an open, public District 157 Community Town Hall at the South Tattnall Middle School Gym in Glennville, starting at 6:00 PM.

Earlier that same day, all four counties across District 157 will open their doors for Mandatory Saturday Early Voting. Whether you cast your ballot on Saturday morning or plan to vote later in the advance window, this guide provides practical logistics for Saturday’s polling hours, driving directions, event details, and an objective breakdown of the three statewide constitutional amendments on the 2026 general election ballot.

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1. District 157 Community Town Hall (Saturday, October 17)

Public service begins with showing up where people live and listening to their real concerns.

Our campaign formally invited Republican nominee Bradley Anderson to join us on stage for a joint debate. While he declined that invitation, our invitation remains open should he choose to attend. The evening will proceed as an open-floor constituent forum where questions will be taken directly from the floor regarding rural healthcare, agricultural policy, living costs, and local infrastructure:

• Event: District 157 Community Town Hall & Open Q&A
• Date & Time: Saturday, October 17, 2026 | Starting at 6:00 PM
• Location & Directions: South Tattnall Middle School Gym, 721 E Barnard St, Glennville, GA 30427 (Tap for driving directions)
• Add to Calendar: Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal / Outlook (.ics)
• Format: Open-floor microphone for direct constituent questions with Micah King. Questions will be taken directly from the floor.
• Admission: 100% free and open to the public. All voters from Appling, Evans, Jeff Davis, and Tattnall Counties are welcome.

Come ask direct questions about the future of Evans Memorial Hospital, staffing and infrastructure challenges surrounding Smith State Prison, agricultural protections, living costs, or how state tax dollars are distributed back to rural roads and trade schools.

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2. Mandatory Saturday Early Voting: Where & When to Vote (October 17)

For residents across Southeast Georgia - including shift workers at Plant Hatch, timber haulers, poultry processing employees, and busy farm families - voting between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays can be difficult.

Georgia election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-385) requires every county in the state to provide two mandatory Saturday voting days during the advance voting window. The first mandatory Saturday is October 17, 2026.

During advance voting, you do not have to travel to an assigned neighborhood precinct. Registered voters may cast a ballot at any designated early voting location within their county of residence:

County-by-County Advance Polling Locations

County	Designated Advance Polling Site	Address & Driving Directions	Saturday Hours	Office Phone
Appling County	Board of Elections Office	83 South Oak Street Baxley, GA 31513	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	(912) 367-8113
Evans County	Courthouse Annex (Suite 8)	201 Freeman Street Claxton, GA 30417	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	(912) 739-0708
Jeff Davis County	Public Safety Facility	15 Public Safety Drive Hazlehurst, GA 31539	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	(912) 375-6635
Tattnall County	Central Elections Office	114 W Brazell Street Reidsville, GA 30453	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	(912) 557-6417

Note for Tattnall County voters: Advance early voting is conducted at the Board of Elections central office in Reidsville. Glennville voters can take advantage of Saturday voting in Reidsville during the day, then join neighbors in Glennville at the gym that evening.

Hours and locations are based on county board of elections schedules for mandatory Saturday voting. Check your voter registration status and verify your specific polling precinct anytime at the official Georgia My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov) or contact your county election office.

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3. What Is on Your Ballot: The Official 2026 Constitutional Amendments

When voters step up to the ballot-marking device (BMD), they encounter legal text on three statewide constitutional amendments.

Questions from readers and local residents have highlighted the need for a plain-English explanation of these measures before heading to the polls. Below is what each official 2026 amendment proposes, along with the core policy arguments on both sides:

Amendment 1: Increasing the Agricultural & Timber Conservation Property Tax Cap (HR 32)

• Official Ballot Text: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to increase the maximum acreage of bona fide agricultural and timber property that may be classified as conservation use property from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres?”
• What It Does: Georgia’s Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) program allows qualifying farmland and timberland to be assessed based on its current agricultural or timber use rather than market development value, in exchange for a binding 10-year conservation covenant. Current law caps enrollment at 2,000 acres per owner or entity. Amendment 1 increases that cap to 4,000 acres.
• Why Supporters Favor It: Farm and forestry advocates argue that rising rural land values make contiguous tracts expensive to maintain under market valuation. Proponents maintain that doubling the cap provides tax relief for growing family farms and working timber operations, encouraging them to keep land in agricultural production rather than subdividing for development.
• What Skeptics Note: Opponents and local budget observers caution that expanding property tax exemptions reduces the taxable digest that rural county governments and public schools rely on to fund local services. Critics also note that owners of larger acreage tracts stand to benefit most, which could place pressure on local millage rates.

Amendment 2: Requiring Nonpartisan Elections for Probate Court Judges (HR 251)

• Official Ballot Text: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to require that all probate court judges in the state be elected on a nonpartisan basis?”
• What It Does: Georgia Superior Court and appellate judges are elected on nonpartisan ballots. Amendment 2 establishes a uniform statewide constitutional requirement that all 159 county probate court judges be elected on a nonpartisan basis, eliminating partisan party primaries where they currently exist.
• Why Supporters Favor It: Supporters contend that party affiliation has no legitimate role in probating a will, appointing a guardian, or administering an estate. Proponents argue that nonpartisan elections protect judicial impartiality and keep courthouse administration free from partisan primary politics.
• What Skeptics Note: Opponents point out that political party designations give voters a familiar baseline philosophical cue when researching down-ballot courthouse races with minimal campaign advertising. Critics also suggest that removing party labels can increase the electoral advantage of well-known incumbents.

Amendment 3: Dedicated Next Generation 9-1-1 Emergency Trust Fund (HR 1243)

• Official Ballot Text: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate revenues derived from fees assessed on emergency telephone communications services to a nonlapsing trust fund to be used exclusively for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 systems in this state?”
• What It Does: Amendment 3 authorizes the General Assembly to establish a dedicated, nonlapsing “Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund.” Under this amendment, state revenues derived from existing emergency telephone service fees would be constitutionally restricted to funding 911 communications infrastructure and dispatch upgrades.
• Why Supporters Favor It: First responders and public safety officials argue that fees collected from monthly telephone bills for 911 services should be locked into emergency communications rather than subject to being redirected into the state general fund during budget cycles. Proponents emphasize that reliable dedicated funding is critical for rural dispatch centers upgrading to digital mapping and text-to-911 capabilities.
• What Skeptics Note: Fiscal traditionalists generally oppose constitutionally dedicating state revenue streams, arguing that earmarking fees reduces the legislature’s budgetary flexibility to reallocate funds during economic downturns or unforeseen state emergencies.

For an extensive, neutral breakdown of the legal mechanics and financial implications, read our full Georgia 2026 Ballot Measures Explainer.

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4. Pocket Checklist: Practical Rules for the Voting Booth

Before you head to the polls this Saturday, keep these operational rules in mind:

1. Acceptable Photo ID: Georgia law requires government-issued photo identification to vote in person. Acceptable forms include a Georgia driver’s license (even if expired, pursuant to state election rules), a free state voter ID card, a U.S. passport, military photo ID, tribal photo ID, or a government employee photo ID.
2. Surrendering a Mail Ballot: If you received an absentee ballot by mail but choose to vote in person on Saturday, bring your unvoted paper ballot with you to the check-in desk to surrender it to poll workers. If you lost it, never received it, or do not have it with you, poll workers will provide a standard cancellation affidavit to sign before an in-person ballot is issued.
3. Cell Phone Restrictions & Personal Notes: Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413(e)), the use of cellular phones or other recording devices is prohibited in the voting room while voting is underway. Voters commonly bring handwritten notes or a printed sample ballot into the voting booth to reference their choices privately. Ensure any notes are kept private for personal use and not displayed to other electors, and consult poll workers if you have questions about local polling room policies.
4. Preferential Treatment During Advance Voting: Under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-385.1, electors who are 75 years of age or older, electors with physical disabilities, or electors accompanied by children aged two or younger are entitled upon request to vote without waiting in line during advance voting.

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5. Why Showing Up Matters

Representative government works best when voters have direct access to their elected officials.

Our communities face urgent issues: retaining healthcare staff at local critical-access facilities, defending local control over land use, supporting multi-generational timber and farming operations, and preparing young people for skilled trade careers through our technical colleges.

We invite you to cast your ballot this Saturday during advance voting, and then join us at 6:00 PM at South Tattnall Middle School Gym in Glennville. Bring your questions, bring your neighbors, and let us discuss the future of our home together.

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Key Community & Election Resources

• Georgia My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov) - Look up your registration, check polling locations, and download official sample ballots.
• District 157 Early Voting Guide - Verified hours, dates, and locations for the entire three-week advance window.
• Georgia 2026 Ballot Measures Explained - Plain-English guide to Amendments 1, 2, and 3.
• District 157 Community Opportunity Board - Active local jobs and career pathways across Southeast Georgia.
• The Lineage of District 157 - Historical record of representation in the 157th House District since 1993.