King Henry VII of England was crowned on October 30, 1485.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg.
King Charles I of England granted a charter for a new colony called Carolana that included much of present-day Georgia, along with the current states of North and South Carolina, on October 30, 1629.
Georgia’s Trustees decided on November 1, 1732 that the first settlement would be named Savannah and located on the Savannah River.
The Stamp Act, however, was a direct tax on the colonists and led to an uproar in America over an issue that was to be a major cause of the Revolution: taxation without representation.
Passed without debate by Parliament in March 1765, the Stamp Act was designed to force colonists to use special stamped paper in the printing of newspapers, pamphlets, almanacs, and playing cards, and to have a stamp embossed on all commercial and legal papers. The stamp itself displayed an image of a Tudor rose framed by the word “America” and the French phrase Honi soit qui mal y pense—”Shame to him who thinks evil of it.”
Outrage was immediate. Massachusetts politician Samuel Adams organized the secret Sons of Liberty organization to plan protests against the measure, and the Virginia legislature and other colonial assemblies passed resolutions opposing the act. In October, nine colonies sent representatives to New York to attend a Stamp Act Congress, where resolutions of “rights and grievances” were framed and sent to Parliament and King George III.
Georgia Commissioners and Creek leaders signed a treaty on November 1, 1783.
Stephen Douglas of Illinois campaigned in Atlanta for President of the United States on October 30, 1860. Douglas had defeated Abraham Lincoln for United States Senate in 1858, giving rise to the Lincoln-Douglas style of debate.
The United States Congress admitted Nevada as the 36th state on October 31, 1864. Kind of fitting, in a way.
On October 30, 1871, Republican Benjamin Conley became acting Governor of Georgia after Republican Governor Rufus Bullock resigned; Conley served as President of the state Senate before taking office as Governor.
Conley took the oath of office on Oct. 30, 1871. Two days later, the new General Assembly convened and elected a new Democratic president of the Senate, but Conley refused to give up the office. The General Assembly then passed a law over Conley’s veto to hold a special election for governor on the third Tuesday in December. In that election, Democratic House speaker James M. Smith defeated Conley and assumed office Jan. 12, 1872.
On October 30, 1938, a science fiction drama called War of the Worlds was broadcast nationwide in the form of a series of simulated radio broadcasts.
The carving on Mount Rushmore was completed on October 31, 1941.
Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers on October 30, 1945, becoming the first African-American professional baseball player in the major leagues.
On October 30, 1970, a fastball from Nolan Ryan was timed at 100.9 miles per hour, putting him in the record books.
On the same day, Jim Morrison of the Doors was sentenced to six months in prison and a $500 fine for allegedly exposing himself during a Miami concert. Morrision died before the case was heard on appeal.
Jimmy Carter ended his first Presidential campaign with a rally in Flint, Michigan on November 1, 1976.
President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail to help his wife, Hillary Clinton, in her race for United States Senate from New York on October 31, 2000. On October 31, 2014, Bill Clinton came to Atlanta to campaign for Michelle Nunn for United States Senate.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Here are today’s General Election stats, drawn from the Absentee voter file released daily by the Secretary of State’s office:
Total votes cast: 3,826,789
Mail-in votes cast: 1,334,211
Electronic votes cast: 10,846
In-person votes cast: 2,481,732
Some early voting locations were affected by power outages. No doubt because Governor Brian Kemp wanted to suppress votes and ordered up a hurricane. From the Gainesville Times:
Some polling locations for early voting in Hall County have been affected by power outages Thursday, Oct. 29, but polls have now reopened, with machines running off battery power.
Hurricane Zeta, now a Tropical Storm, brought rain and strong winds to Hall overnight, felling trees, damaging homes and vehicles and closing roads.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at eight locations around the county for early voting. Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center was not open until 8:40 a.m. Thursday because the building was without power, according to county spokeswoman Katie Crumley.
Today is the last day of in-person early voting ahead of the Tuesday General Election. From the AJC:
The busy day of voting is likely to break more turnout records for early voting this year. Already, 3.6 million voters have cast early or absentee ballots, 50% more than in 2016.
The final day of early voting is always the busiest, and Friday probably won’t be an exception. Election officials have said as many as 400,000 people could vote at 336 in-person early voting locations across Georgia on Friday.
Voters can check estimated wait times before they head to the polls in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
Voting locations, voting hours, registration information and sample ballots are available through the state’s My Voter Page at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King released some tips on dealing with insurance after the hurricane, according to the Albany Herald.
“We have seen time and time again in Georgia how storms like Hurricane Zeta can bring property damage through toppled trees and downed power lines,” King said in a news release. “We know this property damage can be devastating for Georgia families, which is why our office has five tried and true insurance tips to help families weather the aftermath of this storm.”
Click here for the full set of tips.
President Donald Trump will rally with fellow Republicans in Rome on Sunday, according to the Rome News-Tribune.
Details are still up in the air, but a rally headlined by President Donald Trump is in the works at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
“We’ve signed a contract with the (Republican National Committee) and their lawyers are reviewing it now,” Floyd County Commission Chair Scotty Hancock said Friday evening.
The RNC would rent the airport for $3,000 a day for two days. Which two days were still up in the air as of Thursday afternoon. Plans initially called for the setup to be Saturday for the event on Sunday, but those plans are fluid and the event could be pushed off until Monday.
The Rome airport has been host to annual Republican Party rallies in years past and Vice President Mike Pence flew in to the airport for a private event at Barnsley Resort in August 2019.
Northwest Georgia’s 14th Congressional District candidate Marjorie Greene posted on her Facebook page that the Republican Party is seeking volunteers.
“We need people who will volunteer to help at the Trump rally in planning for Sunday here in Rome,” Greene wrote. “Please contact (Floyd County GOP chair) Luke Martin and give him your name and phone number to volunteer! Let’s have the greatest rally in Georgia for President Trump!”
Another post on the Floyd County Republican Party page called for “anyone interested in being a potential volunteer for this event, please email Luke Martin at lam422@gmail.com or Layla Shipman at laylas36@gmail.com.”
The visit to the deeply conservative part of the state — rather than more competitive and more densely populated territory in metro Atlanta — reflects a push to maximize turnout among the Republican base rather than try to reach undecided voters.
“He does have to win a state like Georgia, and that’s why the team that you see today is out working and not taking anything for granted,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at a pro-Trump rally in Morrow.
“It’s past the conversion or the persuasion time. This is turnout time. We don’t have time enough to persuade people now,” said Perdue, a former two-term Georgia governor. “If they need to be persuaded, I’d suggest they Google the Democratic platform and the Republican platform and read the difference.”
“The fact that the president will be here the Sunday before the election means that he thinks he’s in trouble,” [Democrat Raphael] Warnock said.
Layla Shipman, a former Floyd County GOP chairwoman and well-known local activist, said enthusiasm soared as word of Trump’s plans raced through the community.
“What better way to start winding down a successful campaign season than coming to the heart of Trump country and speaking to his loyal supporters here?” Shipman asked.
“If there’s any indication in the way my phone has been blowing up,” she said, “it’s going to be a huge crowd.”
Bulloch County voters have continued setting early turnout records, according to the Statesboro Herald.
Both the elections office in the Bulloch County Annex on North Main Street and the Honey Bowen Building will be open Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for early voting. Voters in line at 5 p.m. Friday will be allowed to vote.
Absentee ballots also have set records in Bulloch County and they must be returned and inside the Bulloch Elections office by 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Ballots postmarked by Nov. 3, but not physically in the office will not be counted, according to Georgia law.
“I would recommend people drop their ballots off either inside our office or in the outside drop box,” said Shontay Jones, deputy registrar for Bulloch County Board of Elections & Registration. “The main thing I would tell a voter is ‘We have no control over the mail – when they get it or when we receive it.’ If they can’t get to our office and their only choice is to mail their ballot, I would recommend they ask the post office what they would need to pay in extra postage to ensure their ballot is in our office before 7 p.m. on November 3rd.”
Through Wednesday, 17,344 residents had voted early either in person or by absentee in Bulloch County. With two full days of in-person early voting left and even more absentee ballots expected to be returned, Bulloch has far surpassed 2016’s early voting total of 13,651 votes.
Senator David Perdue (R-Glynn County) broke out the trusty jean jacket to campaign in Brunswick, according to The Brunswick News.
Around 50 turned out to hear the senator in the parking lot of Harris’ Steak & Seafood off Golden Isles Parkway.
Reinforcing his support for Republican economic initiatives and recently appointed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Barrett, Perdue claimed Ossoff would be controlled by the national Democratic leadership.
Perdue, seeking a second six-year term of office, indicated he is an independent thinker when determining how he will vote in the Senate.
Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Atlanta) campaigned in Newnan, according to the Newnan Times-Herald.
State House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) spoke about the Ahmaud Arbery shooting while campaigning for State Rep. Don Hogan in Glynn County, according to The Brunswick News.
“It made me sick,” Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, told The News Wednesday while in town to support state Rep. Don Hogan, R-St. Simons Island. “I was in shock. An unbelievable act of evil.”
Hogan, seeking a second two-year term to the state House, is being challenged by Democrat Julie Jordan.
While support for hate crime legislation had been building for some time, the February incident pushed the need for stronger penalties to the forefront.
Hogan supported the measure.
COVID-19 might get in the way of that, but Ralston had confidence the state House’s protocols were more than adequate to keep legislators safe.
During the last legislative session, COVID rules required representatives to wear masks and keep their distance from others under the Gold Dome. That extra distance slowed down the voting process in June as some had to be moved to other seating areas to spread out.
Ralston said those protocols might be reviewed in light of another surge, but he felt it was a good system and would allow the state government to carry on with its business.
Columbus area Democrats held a drive-in rally, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
in the Columbus Civic Center parking lot Thursday evening for a “Drive-In With The Democrats’ Get Out The Vote Rally.” The event featured speakers such as U.S. Senate candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Congressman Sanford Bishop and others on the ballot this presidential election year.
“I just want to show my support for the candidates and sort of represent what the constituency in Columbus and Muscogee County looks like,” she said. “It’s young people like me, and women, and people of color, and queer people and all of that, is part of the constituency.”
The rally came as early voting ends Friday and droves of voters in Muscogee County already have cast their ballots. Thursday’s total hit 56,754 in early voting.
The Macon Telegraph has a Q&A with the candidates for Bibb County Sheriff.
Spalding County Commissioner Donald Hawbaker has been indicted after shooting at Sheriff’s Deputies, according to the Albany Herald.
The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office says Hawbaker was indicted on eight felony charges including aggravated assault under the Georgia Family Violence Act 2, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and aggravated assault on law enforcement officers.
On February 4 deputies arrived at Hawbaker’s Griffin home to serve arrest warrants for simple assault related to family violence and disorderly conduct.
Upon arrival deputies say the commissioner fired two shots from inside the home. SWAT was called to the residence to aid with negotiations, and at one point gas was deployed to get Hawbaker out of the home. A deputy also fired three shots into the home after witnessing the commissioner raise his weapon.
The City of Savannah Ethics Board found that Alder(wo)man Kesha Gibson-Carter violated the municipal ethics ordinance, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The unanimous decision by the three-member board followed a day-long hearing of testimony held at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center. The board’s ruling means Savannah City Council can take disciplinary action against GIbson-Carter.
Options include censure, defined as”a public expression of severe criticism or reproach by the Mayor and Aldermen,” or reprimand, which is an “expression of disapproval, either public or private, by the Mayor and Aldermen.”
A majority vote of council is needed to issue such penalties.
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