Politics
Decatur residents find false Nov. 30 early-voting deadline on street signs
Signs around downtown Decatur tell voters they can cast early ballots through Nov. 30, even though early voting ends Oct. 30 and Election Day is Nov. 3. Residents say the signs have appeared at prominent intersections and, in some cases, were attached to legitimate voting notices.
Misleading election signs posted around downtown Decatur give voters the wrong deadline for early voting, prompting residents to report the notices and remove some of them.
The signs say, “Vote Early Daily ’til Nov. 30” and include the DeKalb County elections website. But early voting ends Friday, Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3. There is no opportunity to vote after Election Day.
The signs were reported at prominent intersections, including along Church, McDonough and Trinity streets. Some were attached to legitimate voting signs. It was not clear who put them up or why. The website printed on the signs leads to the county’s voter registration and elections page, but the deadline on the signs is wrong.
Decatur resident Vivi Cruz said she spotted at least three signs on Oct. 26 while driving her child to school. She contacted the Election Board, which she said told her it did not know who had placed the signs and could not legally remove them.
“I am unsure of the intent behind these signs, but the information is incorrect and should be addressed,” Cruz said.
Jennifer Jones-Paratore sent video showing incorrect information attached to legitimate voting signs and said she had removed five of them that day. Decatur police said the department had received no calls about the signs. A county response was not available by publication.
More than 152,000 people had already voted early in DeKalb County, making accurate deadlines important for voters trying to plan when and where to cast a ballot. Voters should check the county elections office’s official website for current voting dates, times and locations.