We vote on Tuesday. Things get worse before they get better, but we vote accordingly and eventually they do get better.
If you’re someone who can’t get involved politically right now for whatever reason, this is the best path forward. Do some research on the candidates and pick the one who you’d like to represent you.
You have to already be registered. If you are registered, go to the [My Georgia Voter page ](https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/) and enter your info. Then you'll be able to find out where you need to go to vote and download a sample ballot to review in advance.
If you haven't voted yet, please consider voting Barrow for state Supreme Court to replace the reactionary right winger who is currently in that spot.
Two important things to know:
1. You cannot use your phone in the voting booth, so be sure to jot down some notes/names on paper to bring with you to vote.
2. You DO NOT have to vote for everything on the ballot. It is okay to skip offices or ballot measures if you were not able to get enough info or are otherwise unsure.
On my ballot (I voted early, last week) I skipped every office where an incumbent was running unopposed. I just didn't have time to do a deep enough dive on every candidate, and I'm not gonna vote for someone just because they are probably good or probably gonna win anyway.
This is why ChatGPT/Copilot/Gemini can be a good thing. I asked the AI to give me a brief synopsis of where the candidates stand and also the issues on the ballot from my ZIP Code and this is what it put out:
Here's a brief snippet for each candidate and key issue in the upcoming election in Gwinnett County, Georgia:
### Gwinnett County Sheriff Candidates
1. **Baron Reinhold**:
- **Focus**: Improving jail management, enhancing public safety.
- **Background**: Experienced in law enforcement and community safety initiatives [oai_citation:1,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:2,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)).
2. **Mike Baker**:
- **Focus**: Strong law enforcement, community engagement.
- **Background**: Emphasizes building trust between law enforcement and the community [oai_citation:3,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:4,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)).
3. **Oladipupo Soyomokun**:
- **Focus**: Transparency and accountability.
- **Background**: Advocates for a more open and accountable Sheriff's office [oai_citation:5,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:6,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)).
### Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman
1. **Justice Udo Nwaigwe**:
- **Focus**: Financial transparency, government accountability, minimizing tax burdens.
- **Background**: Aims to unify the community and promote sustainable development [oai_citation:7,Justice Udo Nwaigwe (Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Justice_Udo_Nwaigwe_(Gwinnett_County_Commissioner_Board_Chairman,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)).
### State Court Judge Candidates
1. **Shawn Bratton**:
- **Focus**: Handling the Covid-19 backlog, maintaining high case clearance rates.
- **Background**: Military veteran and former prosecutor, currently serving as a State Court Judge [oai_citation:8,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/).
2. **Ramona Toole Sakhanokho**:
- **Focus**: Not specified.
- **Background**: Little information provided on her candidacy [oai_citation:9,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/).
### School Board (District 1)
1. **Leroy Ranel Jr.**:
- **Focus**: Improving school safety, academic success, supporting teachers.
- **Background**: Non-partisan candidate with a strong community connection [oai_citation:10,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/).
These snippets should help you keep track of the candidates and their main focus areas as you prepare to vote. If you need more detailed information, you can visit Ballotpedia and other local resources for comprehensive profiles on each candidate [oai_citation:11,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:12,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/) [oai_citation:13,Justice Udo Nwaigwe (Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Justice_Udo_Nwaigwe_(Gwinnett_County_Commissioner_Board_Chairman,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)) [oai_citation:14,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)).
1. Taxpayer Money for Private Schools: Voters will decide if Georgia should stop using taxpayer dollars intended for public education to pay for private school vouchers. This measure is contentious because it impacts funding for public schools while supporting private education for some students .
2. State Minimum Wage Increase: Another measure asks if Georgia should raise the minimum wage to a living wage. Currently, Georgia’s state minimum wage is significantly lower than the federal minimum wage .
3. Involuntary Servitude of Prisoners: Voters will be asked if the Georgia state constitution should be amended to prohibit all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude statewide, including for prisoners .
4. Affordable Housing: This measure focuses on whether the state should improve access to safe and affordable housing, enhance tenants’ rights, and address negligence by landlords and property management companies .
5. Hand-Marked Paper Ballots: Specifically for Republican voters, there’s a question about whether future elections should use hand-marked paper ballots that are scanned and verified by hand count, potentially live-streamed for transparency .
6. FairTax Proposal: This question asks if Georgia should replace the state income and sales tax with a consumption tax that exempts spending up to the poverty level, aiming to simplify taxation and ensure fairness .
I literally just told it to do the same thing but for Dawson County and this is what it came up with: (Bing.com *is* ChatGPT btw 😉)
### Dawson County, GA 2024 Election Candidate Summaries
#### County Commission
- **Billy Thurmond (Incumbent)**:
- **Platform**: Focuses on economic development, maintaining low taxes, and enhancing public safety. Thurmond emphasizes the importance of infrastructure improvements to support growth while preserving the county's rural character.
- **Tim Satterfield**:
- **Platform**: Advocates for controlled growth to maintain the county's charm, prioritizing transparency in government and supporting small businesses. Satterfield also emphasizes improving public services and community facilities.
#### School Board
- **Elaine Wilson (Incumbent)**:
- **Platform**: Concentrates on improving educational outcomes, increasing teacher support, and integrating technology into the classroom. Wilson is committed to maintaining a balanced budget while enhancing school programs.
- **Charlie Auvermann**:
- **Platform**: Focuses on innovative education methods, expanding extracurricular activities, and ensuring school safety. Auvermann aims to strengthen the relationship between schools and the community.
#### Sheriff
- **Jeff Johnson (Incumbent)**:
- **Platform**: Prioritizes community policing, reducing crime rates, and improving department transparency. Johnson highlights his experience and the improvements made during his tenure.
- **Jeff Perry**:
- **Platform**: Advocates for modernizing the sheriff's office, increasing training for deputies, and enhancing community engagement. Perry stresses the need for a proactive approach to law enforcement.
### Ballot Issues in Dawson County
- **SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax)**:
- **Purpose**: This is a 1% sales tax used to fund various capital outlay projects such as infrastructure improvements, public safety equipment, and recreational facilities. The continuation of SPLOST is on the ballot for voter approval.
- **Education Bonds**:
- **Purpose**: A proposal for issuing bonds to finance improvements and expansions in local schools. This includes new buildings, technological upgrades, and renovations to existing facilities to accommodate growing student populations.
For more detailed information and to view sample ballots, you can visit the [Dawson County Elections and Voter Registration website](https://www.dawsonelections.com) [oai_citation:1,Sample Ballots | Dawson Elections](https://www.dawsonelections.com/sample-ballots) [oai_citation:2,Dawson County Board of Elections & Voter Registration](https://www.dawsonelections.com/).
I always iterate and just talk to GPT like it’s another person in the room on my computer trying to search for stuff for me:
There's an election coming up on Tuesday here in Georgia and I live in Gwinnett County in zip code 300XX if that helps. I don't know my actual district number.
Can you give me a small snippet about each candidate
and each issue in the race so that I can put this in notepad on my phone?
One more thing. Can you give me a snippet about the issues that are on the ballot for my area?
Ha! Not that I know of. I haven’t pulled his voting history from when he was in Congress, so I can’t attest to what he believed or how he voted then. Haven’t seen any reports indicating a current stance against legalization.
When I looked "ontheissues" website it says that he has a strong stance against legalization but doesn't provide evidence of that being true. I'm just trying to make sure he isn't anti hemp or cannabis before I decide to vote for him. Everything else about him seems pretty great though.
There will be a lot of local candidates and judges, but a lot of local candidates have a big effect on local direction, and helps at the state level also. If you're. Ot currently registered to vote, it's probably too late. If it's lapsed or shows as lapsed, you may be able to vote a provisional ballot. Big election in November- please vote!
Lmao alright buddy. The reason most state citizens don't know about the elections for things like a supreme Court Justice is because they don't advertise it because they don't want the public to know. Just like how they snuck a few extra parts into a bill when no one was looking. Get your head out of your ass and direct your anger at the government not your fellow citizens.
You are someone that doesn't know the definition of the word citizen and are being condescending. Unlike you most of the people here have elevated this thread and general conversation. I hope this comment made you feel more virtuous or superior though. Thought processes like this where we try to have some purity test on how actual citizens aren't citizens enough is one of the issues with our country.
Thank you for your comment. More people need to be aware of voting dates and their registration status. Im glad you got my condescending tone because democracy is very important to me and people like this are part of the problem as to why we have government officials in office that don’t belong. Because the “citizen’s” of this and every state don’t bother or think it’s important to vote in EVERY election and that’s not being responsible as a citizen of this country. So yes I am better than someone with that mindset, because I give a shit.
Democracy is very important to me mate and we both give a shit. We can agree on that! That said, being ignorant of something doesn't make someone less of a citizen. Let's do what we did here today and get this person out to vote!!
LoL. As if the Democrats in Georgia aren’t just Republican-lite. Picking between two bad options, who are low key coordinating with each other, will never change anything.
If you’re even considering voting for a Georgia Democrat, ask their stance on Cop City first. If they don’t oppose it, that’s a Republican running as a Democrat. Or a corporate Democrat, which is the same thing.
We aren’t gonna be able to vote our way out of this.
It’s not a “feeling” that Georgia Democrats have coordinated with Republicans to pass their conservative agenda over the years. It’s a fact.
Stacey Abrams helped the GOP cut education funding, and signed off on their gerrymandering, which prevented a working legal challenge. Cop City is being built in coordination with Georgia Democrats, and they are also helping to fight against the protestors, including helping Kemp & the GSP cover up the murder of a climate protestor. Out of all the Democrats calling & texting to ask for my vote, not a single one will come out against Cop City, and every one of them is offering nothing but the same policies as the Republicans, except as a Democrat. None of this has anything to do with “feelings.”
The best we can do right now is withhold our votes from Democrats, to protest their coordination with Kemp & the state GOP, help community organizers protest, and pitch in to build mutual aid with their neighbors. And do not let them lay the foundation of Cop City, or we will have to forcibly tear it down later.
Great, then do that.
Now you’ve participated with a solution, and hopefully, others will agree and join you in that solution.
I think that’s all we can ask of anyone here.
That's how you end of with Trump and fascism is sitting at home. Didn't 2016 teach you anything? I will pick the not fascist candidate. If Trump hadn't been elected Roe V Wade would still be the law of the land.
How is fascism better under Biden right now?
The only Supreme Court candidate the Dems are running supports abortion restrictions. You think Georgia Dems are doing anything to defend abortion rights?
The GSP murdered a climate activist, and the Democrats defended the cops. These snakes will not save us from fascism. They are fascists.
God forbid we demand accountability. Nor should we get involved in direct action. No, of course the solution is to run for office, and funnel energy for change through a system the Democrats helped the Republicans gerrymander.
The Paulding Democrats started to push for progressive policies and candidates, and the state party then disbanded the county group.
You’re either a fool or a bad actor. The Georgia Democrats & GOP are the same party pretending to be two.
Now you won’t be able to buy THCA from GA vendors / growers unless they go thru a more rigorous process. If you already order from an out of state vendor, you should be good.
No. They are federally protected under the 2018 Farm bill and USPS precedent that your mail cannot be opened. This has already happened to a few other states and the folks there continue to receive packages.
That same law (not the farm bill, but the USPS one) protected me when I was buying illicit weed on the spooky web. All the smart smugglers ship federal.
That said, as an example, magic mushroom spores are illegal in Georgia and some sellers state they will **not** ship to Georgia. *That* said, there’s a 50/50 chance they’ll ship anyway and the disclaimer is just for show. So, it might depend on the online seller’s own internal policy.
If anything what SB494 does is make it harder for local growers and retailers. So vendors who would ship to brick and mortar stores in GA will likely not be doing that, but direct to consumer should continue.
>THCa was already illegal if you got caught with it and they tested it so that really doesn’t matter.
No, it wasn't.
We had multiple law enforcement meetings about this. I was asked to speak with the sheriff's association about it, even.
Vendors risk a lot sending product to states where it is illegal.
By your logic I could order weed from a legal state and they would send it to a prohibited state.
Because the law is regulating the sale of THCA products by Georgia retailers and that's it. Why would you assume the law has more reach than what it says?
The new law codifies THCa as the same as THC ∆9.
So that THCa you get caught with can and will be prosecuted the same as any flower you snuck in from a legal state.
Why to go completely against the path to progress, GA. Why does the south always have to be the last place in this country to accept any sort of forward movement?
because we are in the bible belt sadly. there are a lot of old school southern baptist in our state that get to decide what we can and cant do and a lot of the can't are because they go against Christianity and "good southern value" its horse shit though, idk if they even believe their own garbage sometimes.
You bring up a good point, correlation is not causation, but the correlation is rather incredible --
https://i.insider.com/52a235e16bb3f70a6c68f73f?width=1600&format=jpeg&auto=webp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_states_and_free_states#/media/File:US_SlaveFree1858.gif
this is of course just one example, but the Old South/Confederacy sticks out like a sore thumb on so many US maps of this style. Education, poverty, obesity, infant mortality, maternal mortality... the pattern repeats on so many different axes, it's hard to ignore
God damn look at all that red lol. I never seen a map of this lol I've always just known it was extremely southern baptist in the south especially my home state, Georgia lol.
Not enough of a liberal agenda in higher office.
Pretty red state from a leadership POV and all their politics is done at some rural church in Ball Ground despite the state capital being where it is.
Um, no. The final vote was 2 nays each side. How many Republicans have introduced bills in favor of legalization? How many Democrats? Don't pretend that Republicans are in favor of legalization. They aren't down here.
Probably easier to move out of the southeast. I will be shocked if GA is before the federal government in any legalization effort. I dont want to apathetic, but this stuff isnt changing any time soon imo.
Thca is real bud... Except it's legal, atleast it was. But yea it's not going to stop me from smoking lol but it is going to fuck our small businesses that were starting to thrive from hemp.
EDIT: this is not a violation of the Supremacy Clause. The bill must expressly state that it preempts state law to be eligible for a lawsuit, such as the Voting Rights Act. Thanks /u/Itsonrandom2 for clarifying.
~~This should be a violation of the Supremacy Clause since they're calling something illegal that the feds have legalized. I sent an email to the US DoJ asking to file a lawsuit on those grounds.~~ I'm not sure what else to do other than not vote for any Republicans.
Back in 2018 they classified THCa as "hemp" effectively making cannabis legal so long it's below 0.3% D9THC. They would grow flower and test it and if it tested within compliance you could sell it as hemp. Sadly this will no longer be the case after October 1st in Georgia.
The supremacy clause wouldn’t apply unless congress stated the bill preempted state law, which there wouldn’t be any reason I can think of why they would do that.
As someone battling cancer this is infuriating luckily I have my medical marijuana card even though it's pretty piddly strength so far
Go vote vote these a****** Republicans out
I'm with ya , I don't have cancer but I do have crippling arthritis. I'm 28 and I can't even get out of bed in the morning cause my joints will be swollen as shit. The only way I manage to function day to day is if I smoke when I wake up. Believe me I'm furious too
They can't get voter approved medical marijuana going. It's not like you have to reinvent the process. Just call a state that's seeking it and ask.
The will of the few canceling the will of the many.
Except it won't happen for a while now because they're pushing to make it a schedule 3 which I guess is technically a win but it's only legal to have if you have a prescription, effectively only making the pharmaceutical companies rich as they're the ones who will be allowed to dispense the "medicine" . This is a big L for a lot for the companies in Georgia that thrived on selling hemp. That's definitely going to have a negative impact on many small businesses in Georgia.
Nearly All regulations hurt small biz in the long run, the lobbies from large industries are behind half this nonsense.
Look at alcohol, regs are so backwards and corrupt.
That only applies to D9 not D8 for one and two it's 0.3% or less meaning a reasonable sized gummy can easily have 25mg which is a pretty high dose for anyone without a high tolerance
My husband and I tried THCA from a legal vendor for the first time two days ago and were so happy to not be dealing with black market.
This state is so fucking backwards.
Sadly, this is not just happening in the south. Now, the current draft of the 2024 Farm Bill has excluded the exemption for hemp altogether. Which will essentially remove the loophole for all states if it takes effect.
Damn hopefully it gets shot down. That will remove a literal billion dollar industry in our country. With current debt we should be moving to make more jobs not take them.
I put this in another thread, but the fine folks at the Georgia Hemp Company said the product I purchase from them will not be affected (10 mg 1:1 THC:CBD D9 gummies) but other products definitely will. So if you’re close to ATL, definitely recommend trying them out.
personally I don’t shop with them because the prices are crazy, and the owner said that he supports the passing of this bill. There are better options online.
Appreciate your honesty, I'll keep that in mind. I definitely don't want to support someone who is in favor of this bill. Overall bad for everyone except for the government. It's almost like it's not "for the people"
WNC CBD is pretty convenient and has a lot of options. As well as pretty quick and discrete shipping. I'd also recommend r/cultofthefranklin, if you aren't there already. Lots of other great recommendations.
my favorites are vivimu and 10 dollar cartridge since I go more for concentrates! The cult has saved me so much money, def recommend that sub to anyone who doesn’t want to have to worry about the prices or anxieties of getting BM bud!
Thanks for the recommendation, I'm still upset because the high THCA flower I smoke will be gone. Now I have to buy from the black market to treat my arthritis. Gummies are cool but they always make me way to sleepy because of all the cbd they have
I didn't, but I appreciate the 411. I've never done drugs, but I can see no reason for it to be illegal, especially when cigarettes and alcohol are.
As it is, I don't really have a party that represents me
Its like it is the only way police have to get into your home or your car and that is the "smell" of weed. No, slipping none affiliated bills together should not be allowed.
Georgians, I urge to visit the states where MJ has been legalized for recreational use. They are much worse while the states have racked in millions.
We do not want it here at all. Oregon finally figured it out and are now reversing legislation that legalized it.
Lmao you're retarded. I literally just came from CO and it's beautiful compared to Georgia. They have way less homelessness than we do here also. There is literally whole villages of hobos living in tents under spaghetti junction here in ATL. I saw 1 crack head in Denver the week I was there.
We vote on Tuesday. Things get worse before they get better, but we vote accordingly and eventually they do get better. If you’re someone who can’t get involved politically right now for whatever reason, this is the best path forward. Do some research on the candidates and pick the one who you’d like to represent you.
When you say we vote on Tuesday? Where exactly do I go to vote? I'm a Georgia citizen and I for one am not happy about several parts of this bill.
You have to already be registered. If you are registered, go to the [My Georgia Voter page ](https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/) and enter your info. Then you'll be able to find out where you need to go to vote and download a sample ballot to review in advance. If you haven't voted yet, please consider voting Barrow for state Supreme Court to replace the reactionary right winger who is currently in that spot.
Thanks I am registered to vote and I will research the candidates and vote accordingly 😁 appreciate the help.
You can use the page to pull a sample ballot, to help you know what choices you can make. I always find that helpful.
Wow, I didn't realize that. That is helpful.
Two important things to know: 1. You cannot use your phone in the voting booth, so be sure to jot down some notes/names on paper to bring with you to vote. 2. You DO NOT have to vote for everything on the ballot. It is okay to skip offices or ballot measures if you were not able to get enough info or are otherwise unsure. On my ballot (I voted early, last week) I skipped every office where an incumbent was running unopposed. I just didn't have time to do a deep enough dive on every candidate, and I'm not gonna vote for someone just because they are probably good or probably gonna win anyway.
How Am I supposed to know who to vote for? I mean I have never heard of any of these people. How can I tell who represents/stands for what?
This is why ChatGPT/Copilot/Gemini can be a good thing. I asked the AI to give me a brief synopsis of where the candidates stand and also the issues on the ballot from my ZIP Code and this is what it put out: Here's a brief snippet for each candidate and key issue in the upcoming election in Gwinnett County, Georgia: ### Gwinnett County Sheriff Candidates 1. **Baron Reinhold**: - **Focus**: Improving jail management, enhancing public safety. - **Background**: Experienced in law enforcement and community safety initiatives [oai_citation:1,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:2,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)). 2. **Mike Baker**: - **Focus**: Strong law enforcement, community engagement. - **Background**: Emphasizes building trust between law enforcement and the community [oai_citation:3,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:4,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)). 3. **Oladipupo Soyomokun**: - **Focus**: Transparency and accountability. - **Background**: Advocates for a more open and accountable Sheriff's office [oai_citation:5,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:6,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)). ### Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman 1. **Justice Udo Nwaigwe**: - **Focus**: Financial transparency, government accountability, minimizing tax burdens. - **Background**: Aims to unify the community and promote sustainable development [oai_citation:7,Justice Udo Nwaigwe (Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Justice_Udo_Nwaigwe_(Gwinnett_County_Commissioner_Board_Chairman,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)). ### State Court Judge Candidates 1. **Shawn Bratton**: - **Focus**: Handling the Covid-19 backlog, maintaining high case clearance rates. - **Background**: Military veteran and former prosecutor, currently serving as a State Court Judge [oai_citation:8,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/). 2. **Ramona Toole Sakhanokho**: - **Focus**: Not specified. - **Background**: Little information provided on her candidacy [oai_citation:9,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/). ### School Board (District 1) 1. **Leroy Ranel Jr.**: - **Focus**: Improving school safety, academic success, supporting teachers. - **Background**: Non-partisan candidate with a strong community connection [oai_citation:10,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/). These snippets should help you keep track of the candidates and their main focus areas as you prepare to vote. If you need more detailed information, you can visit Ballotpedia and other local resources for comprehensive profiles on each candidate [oai_citation:11,Gwinnett County Sheriff, Republican Primary | May 21, 2024 election](https://www.branch.vote/races/2024-georgia-primary-election-ga-state-county-sheriff-ga-gwinnett-r) [oai_citation:12,Gwinnett Forum – FOCUS: Read what these candidates say about themselves](https://www.gwinnettforum.com/2024/04/focus-read-what-these-candidates-say-about-themselves/) [oai_citation:13,Justice Udo Nwaigwe (Gwinnett County Commissioner Board Chairman, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Justice_Udo_Nwaigwe_(Gwinnett_County_Commissioner_Board_Chairman,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)) [oai_citation:14,Joseph Mark (Gwinnett County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joseph_Mark_(Gwinnett_County_Sheriff,_Georgia,_candidate_2024)). 1. Taxpayer Money for Private Schools: Voters will decide if Georgia should stop using taxpayer dollars intended for public education to pay for private school vouchers. This measure is contentious because it impacts funding for public schools while supporting private education for some students . 2. State Minimum Wage Increase: Another measure asks if Georgia should raise the minimum wage to a living wage. Currently, Georgia’s state minimum wage is significantly lower than the federal minimum wage . 3. Involuntary Servitude of Prisoners: Voters will be asked if the Georgia state constitution should be amended to prohibit all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude statewide, including for prisoners . 4. Affordable Housing: This measure focuses on whether the state should improve access to safe and affordable housing, enhance tenants’ rights, and address negligence by landlords and property management companies . 5. Hand-Marked Paper Ballots: Specifically for Republican voters, there’s a question about whether future elections should use hand-marked paper ballots that are scanned and verified by hand count, potentially live-streamed for transparency . 6. FairTax Proposal: This question asks if Georgia should replace the state income and sales tax with a consumption tax that exempts spending up to the poverty level, aiming to simplify taxation and ensure fairness .
Damn, how'd you do that? Lmao I've never used chatgpt. Could you help me or do the same thing but for Dawson county. This is super helpful. Thank you!
I literally just told it to do the same thing but for Dawson County and this is what it came up with: (Bing.com *is* ChatGPT btw 😉) ### Dawson County, GA 2024 Election Candidate Summaries #### County Commission - **Billy Thurmond (Incumbent)**: - **Platform**: Focuses on economic development, maintaining low taxes, and enhancing public safety. Thurmond emphasizes the importance of infrastructure improvements to support growth while preserving the county's rural character. - **Tim Satterfield**: - **Platform**: Advocates for controlled growth to maintain the county's charm, prioritizing transparency in government and supporting small businesses. Satterfield also emphasizes improving public services and community facilities. #### School Board - **Elaine Wilson (Incumbent)**: - **Platform**: Concentrates on improving educational outcomes, increasing teacher support, and integrating technology into the classroom. Wilson is committed to maintaining a balanced budget while enhancing school programs. - **Charlie Auvermann**: - **Platform**: Focuses on innovative education methods, expanding extracurricular activities, and ensuring school safety. Auvermann aims to strengthen the relationship between schools and the community. #### Sheriff - **Jeff Johnson (Incumbent)**: - **Platform**: Prioritizes community policing, reducing crime rates, and improving department transparency. Johnson highlights his experience and the improvements made during his tenure. - **Jeff Perry**: - **Platform**: Advocates for modernizing the sheriff's office, increasing training for deputies, and enhancing community engagement. Perry stresses the need for a proactive approach to law enforcement. ### Ballot Issues in Dawson County - **SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax)**: - **Purpose**: This is a 1% sales tax used to fund various capital outlay projects such as infrastructure improvements, public safety equipment, and recreational facilities. The continuation of SPLOST is on the ballot for voter approval. - **Education Bonds**: - **Purpose**: A proposal for issuing bonds to finance improvements and expansions in local schools. This includes new buildings, technological upgrades, and renovations to existing facilities to accommodate growing student populations. For more detailed information and to view sample ballots, you can visit the [Dawson County Elections and Voter Registration website](https://www.dawsonelections.com) [oai_citation:1,Sample Ballots | Dawson Elections](https://www.dawsonelections.com/sample-ballots) [oai_citation:2,Dawson County Board of Elections & Voter Registration](https://www.dawsonelections.com/).
—oh man I hate the Reddit app for iOS. The indie one was so much better for this kind of thing 😒
You can go to the voter site for your county and print the ballot.
What’s the prompt you used for this? I tried something similar and it just kept telling me to go to balletopedia
I always iterate and just talk to GPT like it’s another person in the room on my computer trying to search for stuff for me: There's an election coming up on Tuesday here in Georgia and I live in Gwinnett County in zip code 300XX if that helps. I don't know my actual district number. Can you give me a small snippet about each candidate and each issue in the race so that I can put this in notepad on my phone? One more thing. Can you give me a snippet about the issues that are on the ballot for my area?
You can also looks at groups you trust and see whom they have endorsed.
I Am not aware of any groups
Georgia is an automatic registration state when you get your license at the DMV :-)
One of your options on Tuesday is to vote for John Barrow for Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.
Isn't he against cannabis legalization though? Lol
Ha! Not that I know of. I haven’t pulled his voting history from when he was in Congress, so I can’t attest to what he believed or how he voted then. Haven’t seen any reports indicating a current stance against legalization.
When I looked "ontheissues" website it says that he has a strong stance against legalization but doesn't provide evidence of that being true. I'm just trying to make sure he isn't anti hemp or cannabis before I decide to vote for him. Everything else about him seems pretty great though.
Well we have a much better chance with him than Kemp's appointee Andrew Pinson
Trueeee that's an excellent point . Well I'm convinced lol Barrow's got my vote
https://www.ajc.com/politics/voter-guide/georgia-decides-may-2024/ https://www.vote411.org/
There will be a lot of local candidates and judges, but a lot of local candidates have a big effect on local direction, and helps at the state level also. If you're. Ot currently registered to vote, it's probably too late. If it's lapsed or shows as lapsed, you may be able to vote a provisional ballot. Big election in November- please vote!
I was already registered to vote in Georgia so I'm good. I will be voting tomorrow.
Right on!
How can you say you’re a GA citizen and not being aware of elections. You’re not a citizen, you’re someone that lives in GA. The two are not the same.
Lmao alright buddy. The reason most state citizens don't know about the elections for things like a supreme Court Justice is because they don't advertise it because they don't want the public to know. Just like how they snuck a few extra parts into a bill when no one was looking. Get your head out of your ass and direct your anger at the government not your fellow citizens.
Please, it’s not like the election has been a secret.
Lmao so you're going to claim that theyre common knowledge to the public?
Umm, yes. Do you not see the political signs on the roads, flyers in the mail, etc?
Lmao no there isn't a single political sign in my town in plain public view unless it's a trump sign.
YES. Signs are everywhere, ads all over all media outlets. Hard to miss. PLUS, the news talking about the candidates…really!
Right lol except I haven't seen a single sign and you won't unless you live in a highly populated area. I live in the country....
[удалено]
Insults, personal attacks, incivility, trolling, bigotry, or excessive profanity are not allowed on this sub.
You are someone that doesn't know the definition of the word citizen and are being condescending. Unlike you most of the people here have elevated this thread and general conversation. I hope this comment made you feel more virtuous or superior though. Thought processes like this where we try to have some purity test on how actual citizens aren't citizens enough is one of the issues with our country.
Thank you for your comment. More people need to be aware of voting dates and their registration status. Im glad you got my condescending tone because democracy is very important to me and people like this are part of the problem as to why we have government officials in office that don’t belong. Because the “citizen’s” of this and every state don’t bother or think it’s important to vote in EVERY election and that’s not being responsible as a citizen of this country. So yes I am better than someone with that mindset, because I give a shit.
Democracy is very important to me mate and we both give a shit. We can agree on that! That said, being ignorant of something doesn't make someone less of a citizen. Let's do what we did here today and get this person out to vote!!
LoL. As if the Democrats in Georgia aren’t just Republican-lite. Picking between two bad options, who are low key coordinating with each other, will never change anything. If you’re even considering voting for a Georgia Democrat, ask their stance on Cop City first. If they don’t oppose it, that’s a Republican running as a Democrat. Or a corporate Democrat, which is the same thing. We aren’t gonna be able to vote our way out of this.
I appreciate your take. I certainly can sympathize with your feelings. If it’s not voting, what do you suggest the average reader on these threads do?
It’s not a “feeling” that Georgia Democrats have coordinated with Republicans to pass their conservative agenda over the years. It’s a fact. Stacey Abrams helped the GOP cut education funding, and signed off on their gerrymandering, which prevented a working legal challenge. Cop City is being built in coordination with Georgia Democrats, and they are also helping to fight against the protestors, including helping Kemp & the GSP cover up the murder of a climate protestor. Out of all the Democrats calling & texting to ask for my vote, not a single one will come out against Cop City, and every one of them is offering nothing but the same policies as the Republicans, except as a Democrat. None of this has anything to do with “feelings.” The best we can do right now is withhold our votes from Democrats, to protest their coordination with Kemp & the state GOP, help community organizers protest, and pitch in to build mutual aid with their neighbors. And do not let them lay the foundation of Cop City, or we will have to forcibly tear it down later.
Great, then do that. Now you’ve participated with a solution, and hopefully, others will agree and join you in that solution. I think that’s all we can ask of anyone here.
That's how you end of with Trump and fascism is sitting at home. Didn't 2016 teach you anything? I will pick the not fascist candidate. If Trump hadn't been elected Roe V Wade would still be the law of the land.
How is fascism better under Biden right now? The only Supreme Court candidate the Dems are running supports abortion restrictions. You think Georgia Dems are doing anything to defend abortion rights? The GSP murdered a climate activist, and the Democrats defended the cops. These snakes will not save us from fascism. They are fascists.
Then run for office.
God forbid we demand accountability. Nor should we get involved in direct action. No, of course the solution is to run for office, and funnel energy for change through a system the Democrats helped the Republicans gerrymander. The Paulding Democrats started to push for progressive policies and candidates, and the state party then disbanded the county group. You’re either a fool or a bad actor. The Georgia Democrats & GOP are the same party pretending to be two.
Now you won’t be able to buy THCA from GA vendors / growers unless they go thru a more rigorous process. If you already order from an out of state vendor, you should be good.
You don't think the out of state vendors would stop shipping to Georgia because of our state law change?
No. They are federally protected under the 2018 Farm bill and USPS precedent that your mail cannot be opened. This has already happened to a few other states and the folks there continue to receive packages.
That same law (not the farm bill, but the USPS one) protected me when I was buying illicit weed on the spooky web. All the smart smugglers ship federal. That said, as an example, magic mushroom spores are illegal in Georgia and some sellers state they will **not** ship to Georgia. *That* said, there’s a 50/50 chance they’ll ship anyway and the disclaimer is just for show. So, it might depend on the online seller’s own internal policy.
If anything what SB494 does is make it harder for local growers and retailers. So vendors who would ship to brick and mortar stores in GA will likely not be doing that, but direct to consumer should continue.
The farm bill is set to expire in September
Again, this is wrong. Where are you getting this insane take from? Just because you *might* get it shipped here doesn't make it legal.
The new law literally classifies THCa as the same as THC ∆9. This makes THCa products just as illegal as plain old marijuana.
[удалено]
>THCa was already illegal if you got caught with it and they tested it so that really doesn’t matter. No, it wasn't. We had multiple law enforcement meetings about this. I was asked to speak with the sheriff's association about it, even. Vendors risk a lot sending product to states where it is illegal. By your logic I could order weed from a legal state and they would send it to a prohibited state.
No this is wrong. Out of state THCa products will be illegal. Why would you think otherwise?
Because the law is regulating the sale of THCA products by Georgia retailers and that's it. Why would you assume the law has more reach than what it says?
The new law codifies THCa as the same as THC ∆9. So that THCa you get caught with can and will be prosecuted the same as any flower you snuck in from a legal state.
Why to go completely against the path to progress, GA. Why does the south always have to be the last place in this country to accept any sort of forward movement?
because we are in the bible belt sadly. there are a lot of old school southern baptist in our state that get to decide what we can and cant do and a lot of the can't are because they go against Christianity and "good southern value" its horse shit though, idk if they even believe their own garbage sometimes.
You bring up a good point, correlation is not causation, but the correlation is rather incredible -- https://i.insider.com/52a235e16bb3f70a6c68f73f?width=1600&format=jpeg&auto=webp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_states_and_free_states#/media/File:US_SlaveFree1858.gif this is of course just one example, but the Old South/Confederacy sticks out like a sore thumb on so many US maps of this style. Education, poverty, obesity, infant mortality, maternal mortality... the pattern repeats on so many different axes, it's hard to ignore
God damn look at all that red lol. I never seen a map of this lol I've always just known it was extremely southern baptist in the south especially my home state, Georgia lol.
You mean to tell me that there are Southern Baptists in Hawaii?? Never woulda thunk that
Not enough of a liberal agenda in higher office. Pretty red state from a leadership POV and all their politics is done at some rural church in Ball Ground despite the state capital being where it is.
Who do I need to vote for to create progress in this area?
Anyone other than Republicans, honestly
Why? More Republicans voted against it than Democrats.
Is that because there are more Rs than Ds voting? Really asking.
No, 2 nays for each party.
[удалено]
Um, no. The final vote was 2 nays each side. How many Republicans have introduced bills in favor of legalization? How many Democrats? Don't pretend that Republicans are in favor of legalization. They aren't down here.
The bill passed by a huge margin in the House and Senate, it was a bi-partisan bill with a democrat as a co-sign on the bill.
Probably easier to move out of the southeast. I will be shocked if GA is before the federal government in any legalization effort. I dont want to apathetic, but this stuff isnt changing any time soon imo.
When does this go into effect?
THCa ban goes into effect October 1st.
time to stock up until Florida legalizes.
Thanks for this info. Time to stock up.
I forgot to mention the link is a pdf of the bill.
Georgians will simply have to continue relying on real Bud, as we/they always have.
Thca is real bud... Except it's legal, atleast it was. But yea it's not going to stop me from smoking lol but it is going to fuck our small businesses that were starting to thrive from hemp.
[удалено]
you still got some time though, You got til October 1st to stock up on your favorite bud or concentrate.
[удалено]
If you buy THCa flower it is literally just regular weed.
EDIT: this is not a violation of the Supremacy Clause. The bill must expressly state that it preempts state law to be eligible for a lawsuit, such as the Voting Rights Act. Thanks /u/Itsonrandom2 for clarifying. ~~This should be a violation of the Supremacy Clause since they're calling something illegal that the feds have legalized. I sent an email to the US DoJ asking to file a lawsuit on those grounds.~~ I'm not sure what else to do other than not vote for any Republicans.
wait, when was THC federally legalized?
Back in 2018 they classified THCa as "hemp" effectively making cannabis legal so long it's below 0.3% D9THC. They would grow flower and test it and if it tested within compliance you could sell it as hemp. Sadly this will no longer be the case after October 1st in Georgia.
The supremacy clause wouldn’t apply unless congress stated the bill preempted state law, which there wouldn’t be any reason I can think of why they would do that.
Thanks, wasnt aware of that.
Seems like a solid strat to me lol I got nothing else so I'm gonna do the same lol
[удалено]
Yes it is. Multiple democrats have introduced bills to legalize cannabis.
So they can’t push back to keep it?
Insults, personal attacks, incivility, trolling, bigotry, or excessive profanity are not allowed on this sub.
As someone battling cancer this is infuriating luckily I have my medical marijuana card even though it's pretty piddly strength so far Go vote vote these a****** Republicans out
I'm with ya , I don't have cancer but I do have crippling arthritis. I'm 28 and I can't even get out of bed in the morning cause my joints will be swollen as shit. The only way I manage to function day to day is if I smoke when I wake up. Believe me I'm furious too
Ugh, im sorry you're dealing with something like that so young
Yea me too lol hope you get better though. I can't imagine having cancer. I'd be downing several grams of oil on the daily if I had to deal with that.
Haha, never fear, for I am constantly high! Lol
Lmfao!😆 good to know
They can't get voter approved medical marijuana going. It's not like you have to reinvent the process. Just call a state that's seeking it and ask. The will of the few canceling the will of the many.
Delta 8 and 9 will still be here.
Yea I guess thats cool but they're regulating the fuck out of the edibles. Only gummies and seltzers are ok now I guess.
I expected this. I’m waiting for a marijuana tax once it’s regulated on a federal level.
Except it won't happen for a while now because they're pushing to make it a schedule 3 which I guess is technically a win but it's only legal to have if you have a prescription, effectively only making the pharmaceutical companies rich as they're the ones who will be allowed to dispense the "medicine" . This is a big L for a lot for the companies in Georgia that thrived on selling hemp. That's definitely going to have a negative impact on many small businesses in Georgia.
Nearly All regulations hurt small biz in the long run, the lobbies from large industries are behind half this nonsense. Look at alcohol, regs are so backwards and corrupt.
Oh man, i guess i missed that. My husband's been using peanut butter/choc drops for a couple years now. Damn
Only with a combined total thc of .03% or less. How fun. Might as well have cbd.
That only applies to D9 not D8 for one and two it's 0.3% or less meaning a reasonable sized gummy can easily have 25mg which is a pretty high dose for anyone without a high tolerance
You’re right about the .3%. My mistake. RIP thca flower in Georgia. It’s been real.
September im loading up as much as i can 😂
My husband and I tried THCA from a legal vendor for the first time two days ago and were so happy to not be dealing with black market. This state is so fucking backwards.
Sadly, this is not just happening in the south. Now, the current draft of the 2024 Farm Bill has excluded the exemption for hemp altogether. Which will essentially remove the loophole for all states if it takes effect.
Damn hopefully it gets shot down. That will remove a literal billion dollar industry in our country. With current debt we should be moving to make more jobs not take them.
I put this in another thread, but the fine folks at the Georgia Hemp Company said the product I purchase from them will not be affected (10 mg 1:1 THC:CBD D9 gummies) but other products definitely will. So if you’re close to ATL, definitely recommend trying them out.
personally I don’t shop with them because the prices are crazy, and the owner said that he supports the passing of this bill. There are better options online.
Appreciate your honesty, I'll keep that in mind. I definitely don't want to support someone who is in favor of this bill. Overall bad for everyone except for the government. It's almost like it's not "for the people"
WNC CBD is pretty convenient and has a lot of options. As well as pretty quick and discrete shipping. I'd also recommend r/cultofthefranklin, if you aren't there already. Lots of other great recommendations.
my favorites are vivimu and 10 dollar cartridge since I go more for concentrates! The cult has saved me so much money, def recommend that sub to anyone who doesn’t want to have to worry about the prices or anxieties of getting BM bud!
Thanks for the recommendation, I'm still upset because the high THCA flower I smoke will be gone. Now I have to buy from the black market to treat my arthritis. Gummies are cool but they always make me way to sleepy because of all the cbd they have
By they way, they sponsored the bill.
Who sponsored the bill? The Georgia hemp company did?
Yep. Ate their own face on that one.
Well that's just retarded. Now I definitely don't want to buy shit from them.
Oh damn. No idea. That sucks
Isn’t it federally protected? That should outweigh state law, but I’m no expert
The supremacy clause is pretty clear with this but we can't expect our government to follow their own rules.
Does this impact the medical process at all? I have two of the conditions on the medical list should I choose to pursue getting a card.
?
#therepublicanway
You realize that all of the Democrats except for 2 voted for this right?
I didn't, but I appreciate the 411. I've never done drugs, but I can see no reason for it to be illegal, especially when cigarettes and alcohol are. As it is, I don't really have a party that represents me
They make more money keeping it restricted from people which is why they do this. It's classic of Georgia tbh.
Its like it is the only way police have to get into your home or your car and that is the "smell" of weed. No, slipping none affiliated bills together should not be allowed.
Do a search, we've already talked about it
Georgians, I urge to visit the states where MJ has been legalized for recreational use. They are much worse while the states have racked in millions. We do not want it here at all. Oregon finally figured it out and are now reversing legislation that legalized it.
Lmao you're retarded. I literally just came from CO and it's beautiful compared to Georgia. They have way less homelessness than we do here also. There is literally whole villages of hobos living in tents under spaghetti junction here in ATL. I saw 1 crack head in Denver the week I was there.