Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for October 26, 2016

Colonists in Georgia signed a letter allowing the beginning of the slave trade in Georgia on October 26, 1749.

Georgia Sons of Liberty protested against the British Stamp Act on October 26, 1765.

A state Constitutional Convention at Milledgeville, Georgia repealed the state’s Ordinance of Secession on October 26, 1865.

President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act on October 26, 2001.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns & Elections

Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump will join volunteers at the Cobb County Republican Party today. From the Trump-Pence campaign.

Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump, daughters of Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump, will be in metro Atlanta on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. The Trumps will first visit Cobb County GOP headquarters, where they will meet with volunteers and thank them for their hard work on the campaign. Following the meeting with Cobb County volunteers, Ivanka and Tiffany Trump will hold a discussion event with a group of professional women at a private, female-owned business for a roundtable discussion. Both events are open press.

Cobb County GOP Headquarters Visit

Where: Cobb County GOP Headquarters, 799 Roswell St NE, Marietta, GA 30060

When: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 from 4:20 PM to 5 PM (Pre-set from 2:00pm-2:45pm. Security sweep at 3:00pm.)

Who: Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, Herman Cain, State Rep. Betty Price

 

Roundtable of Working Women

Where: State Farm Insurance Agency, 3475 Dallas Hwy #520, Marietta, GA 30064

When: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 from 5:50 PM to 7:15 PM

Who: Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, Trump Georgia Chairman Rayna Casey, female business owners, and others

FoxNews takes a look at what Georgia early voting turnout may mean.

Trump leads in battlegrounds Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and Ohio.

Though neither Georgia nor Ohio break down early balloting by party affiliation, Trump appears to have an advantage in both states.

In Ohio, such requests are down 10 percent among black voters, who in recent decades have tended to vote for Democrats. And requests among Ohio’s increasing white population, a voting bloc in which Trump appears to do well, is up 3 percentage points, to 91 percent.

In Georgia, ballot requests and returns among black voters trail 2012 levels.

Political Scientist Scott MacLean writes that Georgia is not yet a swing state.

Georgia and Arizona also are following demographic shifts like Virginia, North Carolina and Nevada did before they became swing states. Georgia, along with North Carolina, Florida and Virginia, is one of the top states in net migration population gain. Just as a swing state was created in Nevada with a huge influx of Californians, Arizona too is taking in Californians who are doubtful about Trump Both Georgia and Arizona are becoming more urban, and younger minority populations came to replace older Republican-leaning groups.

It is in the ethnic dimensions where Arizona and Georgia are not quite ready to swing. African- Americans in Georgia have increased to 34 percent of the electorate but are offset by strong Republican support from whites.

The number of Latino voters in Georgia has tripled since 2004, but Latinos still make up only 2 percent of the vote.

The trends are promising, but true swing state status for Arizona and Georgia is still four to eight years away. It is Hillary Clinton’s good fortune that there are just enough persuadable white, college-educated, independent women in Arizona and Georgia to improve on Obama’s 2012 performance, and win the 40 percent support of whites needed for victory. to improve on Obama’s 2012 performance with whites and give her the victory. She will not be so lucky to face an opponent like Donald Trump again. Clinton has the extra money and popular surrogates to take advantage of this momentary opening, but this does not mean Georgia and Arizona are really ready to swing. Not yet.

Senator Renee Unterman and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin co-wrote an editorial in the Atlanta Business Chronicle advocating a “Yes” vote on Constitutional Amendment 2.

Today in Georgia, a child will lose their innocence to trafficking or exploitation.A young girl will be tricked into a life she never imagined by a man she thought loved her.

A young boy will find himself forced into circumstances that no child should ever have to bear. They do not only lose their childhood, they lose hope, and too often their chance for a better, more normal life.

While no one wants to believe it, child trafficking is a real problem throughout our state. Cases have been reported in 102 of Georgia’s 159 counties. It is a crime that does not discriminate. Victims are both genders, all races and every socioeconomic background. Last year alone, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation worked nearly 4,000 investigations related to child exploitation. The number of arrests made as a result of their efforts, alongside local law enforcement, continues to rise year over year. As the number of arrests increase, so does the number of victims who need a safe harbor, which is what Amendment 2 provides.

While it is typical election year rhetoric to talk about how your vote can make a difference, it is rarely as true as it is in the case with Amendment 2. While we cannot undo the horrible crimes that have been inflicted on these young children, we can help them heal. While we cannot change their past, we can give them back their future.

For more information, visitwww.safeharboryes.com.

Governor Nathan Deal announced the membership of a law enforcement task force to examine the Basic Law Enforcement Officer Training Course and recommend any needed updates.

“Every day, law enforcement personnel of all levels and ranks are asked to do a very difficult job, one that requires significant skill and a strong dedication of purpose,” said Deal. “Protecting our citizens is one of the fundamental roles of government and we must continue to strengthen the ties of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

Flyers touting the Fulton County T-SPLOST have been mailed to voters in areas other than the City of Atlanta.

A private lobbying group’s flyer publicizing the Nov. 8 Sandy Springs TSPLOST ballot question is drawing confusion and complaints from some residents who recently received it in the mail. The flyer cites the city’s website, but did not come from the city government, and its TSPLOST project list omits a controversial Hammond Drive widening study.

Brian Robinson, a spokesperson for Fulton Issues Education Forum, said the group is mailing similar TSPLOST flyers to voters in all cities and unincorporated areas of Fulton outside of Atlanta, which has its own separate TSPLOST. The group is not doing any mailings within Atlanta, he said, and will do a second round of Fulton County mailings.

“There’s no partnership with any government” in the mailings, Robinson said.

Robinson said the Hammond Drive project description was inadvertently left off of the Sandy Springs flyer. “It really wasn’t intentional,” he said, adding that while the flyer directs voters to the full online list, “we agree [the Hammond project] should been on the list in the mailing and will be in any future mailings.”

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s online files, Fulton Issues Education Forum’s CEO is Jeff Wansley, a lobbyist and public affairs specialist who is also executive director of the Georgia Construction Aggregate Association.

Wansley confirmed that the city was not involved in the flyer, but he said any further questions about “the campaign” would be answered by Seth Millican, who is executive director of the Georgia Transportation Alliance, a lobbying group whose leadership includes executives from such institutions as Georgia Power, UPS, Delta Airlines and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Millican could not immediately be reached for comment.

In a recent GCAA newsletter, Wansley wrote that “GCAA is playing an important role by supporting the Fulton County TSPLOST initiative. I will be serving as chairman of the Fulton County education initiative, which will be managed by the Georgia Transportation Alliance.” He wrote that the Fulton and city of Atlanta TSPLOSTs are “very important to our industry.”

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics has issued an advisory opinion limiting what expenses county government can pay in the 90-day period before an election.

DeKalb County’s elected officials have been warned: Sending too many mass emails from government accounts before an election isn’t allowed.

The DeKalb Board of Ethics unanimously approved an advisory opinion Thursday that limits official communications because they may amount to political campaigning.

Violations of the board’s guidance could result in ethics charges.

“County resources may never be used to support or oppose the election or re-election of a candidate for political office, nor any referendum measure,” according to the advisory opinion.

Government officials who are up for election can’t send more than two mass communications of any form — through U.S. mail, email or county internet — during the 90 days before any primary, runoff, general election, special election or referendum, according to the advisory opinion.

Macon-Bibb County Commissioners are slowing down a proposal to manage downtown parking.

A proposal to install parking meters in downtown Macon and move parking management under a different umbrella hit a snag Tuesday.

Macon-Bibb County commissioners debated a sweeping change that would give the Urban Development Authority control of overseeing downtown parking. The measure is expected to return before commissioners on Nov. 8 after it failed to garner enough votes to move forward Tuesday.

Installing parking meters was among the recommendations of the Macon Action Plan, which details ways to improve the city’s core. The development authority’s proposal is to add meters along several of downtown’s busiest streets, such as Cherry and Mulberry. There could be a $1 an hour charge during certain periods and a $10 fine for going over the time limit.

Commissioner Elaine Lucas wanted more information and input from people who shop downtown before deciding. She also questioned having the UDA oversee parking when government officials will receive blame if problems arise. The development authority is a separate entity from Macon-Bibb, but it receives funding from the county.

“If there is a problem with this, how do you remedy it and turn authority over to a separate body that’s not elected and doesn’t have to answer to the citizens?” Lucas asked.

Federal authorities are bracing themselves for allegations of voter fraud in Georgia.

“The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the election process,” U.S. Attorney G.F. “Pete” Peterman III said in a statement.

Peterman, who oversees the U.S. attorney’s office for the Middle District of Georgia, has appointed C. Shanelle Booker and Todd Swanson to monitor local polls and handle any complaints of election fraud in the district, which stretches from Athens to Macon down to Valdosta.

While this has been an especially contentious presidential race, federal prosecutors in Middle Georgia don’t expect any voting irregularities, said Pam Lightsey, the public information officer for the office.

Bibb County Sheriff David Davis has assured the Macon-Bibb Board of Elections that poll workers who feel threatened should call 911, said Macon-Bibb Elections Supervisor Jeanetta Watson.

Early voting began in Bibb County last week and so far, no incidents have been reported, Watson said. More than 10,000 voters have already cast ballots in Bibb since early voting began.

The Judicial Nominating Commission has recommended the following nominees for the Georgia Court of Appeals seat being created by the retirement of Judge Herbert E. Phipps.

Clyde L. Reese, III – Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Health
Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III – Chief Judge, Macon Judicial Circuit
Gail S. Tusan – Chief Judge, Atlanta Judicial Circuit

The JNC also released a short list of nominees for a new seat on the Clayton County Superior Court.

Aaron Mason – Judge, State Court of Clayton County
Kathryn L. Powers – Executive Assistant District Attorney, Clayton Judicial Circuit
Daphne M. Walker – President and CEO, Buckhead Christian Ministry, Inc.

The Chatham Area Transit Authority is considering adding electric vehicles to its fleet.

The Veterans Administration opened a new Savannah VA Outpatient Clinic on the south side of Savannah.

Lake Lanier’s water level continues to drop as drought conditions persist across North Georgia.

“We’re seeing a lot more shoreline and you’ll be able to see a lot more rocks (on the shore),” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Manager Nick Baggett said.

Lanier’s midnight pool level on Sunday was 1,062.8 feet, which is down nearly 1.5 feet since Oct. 1, according to data kept by the lake’s managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake’s full pool level is 1,071 feet.

Lanier’s water level has been dropping for months, dating back to early May, when it was near its full pool level.

The drought conditions that have been driving the decreases in lake levels are now classified by the government’s U.S. Drought Monitor as “Extreme Drought” in much of north Georgia, including parts of Forsyth, Hall and Gwinnett counties. Those parts that not labeled as “Extreme Drought” are instead labeled as “Severe Drought.”

Google Fiber has stopped the expansion of its fiber network, but it’s not clear what will become of fiber and conduit laid in metro Atlanta but not yet turned up.

In a statement, [outgoing CEO Craig] Barratt said Google Fiber will continue to provide service in a handful of cities where it’s already operating, including Atlanta; Austin, Texas; and Charlotte, North Carolina.

But it will put further plans on hold in at least eight more metropolitan areas where it’s been holding exploratory talks with local officials. Those include Dallas; Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; and San Jose, California.

Windstream said it will invest in improving infrastructure and internet speeds on its network in North Georgia.

Windstream announced last week that it plans to upgrade its broadband internet service in Northeast Georgia counties, including Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Habersham and Jackson.

The plans come after months of criticism lobbed at the Arkansas-based company regarding poor performance and download speeds.

Customer complaints about Windstream’s slow internet service in homes and businesses throughout Georgia’s 9th District, which encompasses all of Northeast Georgia, prompted a public rebuke from U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville.

“After years of calling for additional investment and accountability from Windstream in Northeast Georgia, I am glad to see them invest in their infrastructure to increase broadband speeds in the Ninth District, Collins said in a statement direct to The Times. “However, we have heard these promises before, and I remain skeptical of the outcome based on the past promises and performance of Windstream. While this may lead to better reliability and speeds, it is limited to Windstream’s existing cable footprint. I will continue to monitor the real time customer experience of Windstream users across the affected counties in my district, and hold Windstream accountable so that they are delivering the services they advertise and that their customers deserve.”

Improving broadband internet service and access across Georgia’s rural communities has been the focus of state lawmakers working on a joint committee this year.

Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, has said the committee will use the survey results to make recommendations to the General Assembly next year, which could include proposals for creating tax incentives to spur new investments in broadband and scrapping some government regulations.

A staff member to a DeKalb County Commissioner was arrested and charged with lying to the police. Both he and the Commissioner are friends of mine, so this hits very close to home. I’m not interested in discussing it, but if you want to read the story, hit the link.