Four of the

five people currently working in the Fayette County Board of Elections

office remember when their office was located on the spot now occupied

They tell tales

of the time when everything was done manually and lists were typed on

typewriter. If mistakes were made, an entire sheet might have to be re-typed.

When computers

first snuck into the voting process they would walk the tallies across

the street to the courthouse to input them into the sole computer and

voting totals were written on a piece of paper and posted in the window.

Today, they

are wired into a statewide network and most of the work entails the use

of computers.

Their current

office is located on the second floor of the Fayette Administration Complex

on the corner of Ga. highways 54 and 85, in what most locals call Stonewall

Village. It is clear that those working in the office have to get along

to survive; they all work in a common area and each is able to jump in

and do the other's job.

The office

is headed up by manager Carolyn Combs, who has lived in Fayette County

for 27 years and has worked for the Board of Elections since 1984.

That year Fayette

County had 18,000 voters and 15 precincts. Today there are 51,516 active

voters, 9,321 inactive voters and 36 precincts.

Inactive voters

are those who are still on file but have not had any activity for two

general elections. Cards are mailed to inactive voters giving them the

opportunity to remain on the active list.

In alternating

years cards are mailed to inactive voters giving them the opportunity

to remain on the active voting list. On opposing years, mailing addresses

are run through a postal change-of-address program. Those with differing

or changed addresses receive a mailer at both locations to determine the

proper voting district.

The Department

of Human Resources, and sometimes relatives, notifies the local elections

office of deaths. The Superior Courts keep the Secretary of State updated

regarding felony convictions. The state, in turn, appraises the county

elections office of the felonies so they can be removed from the voter

list. Newly registered voters' information is entered into the system.

All 159 counties

are connected, allowing more accurate voter records to be maintained.

It is virtually impossible for someone to vote in two locations due to

the linking of systems.

While everything

is entered into the system via computer, hard copy records are also maintained.

The local elections staff members are all extremely conscientious. They

place a lot of emphasis on accuracy and ensuring the election code is

kept.

While there

is always something to keep the staff busy, things heat up the closer

it gets to election time. Up to 7 temporary staffers are hired to assist

with the additional duties that arise. "It takes months to get ready

for an election," said Combs.

Poll workers

must be trained. Up to 400 poll workers are needed in an election. Training

is mandatory. Each precinct must have a poll manager and two assistant

managers. Poll managers are paid $160 for the day's work plus an additional

$10 for the training. Assistant Managers make $125 plus the $10 for training,

and clerks are paid $95 plus $10.

Managers have

a lot of responsibility and put in a long day. They typically arrive at

the polls around 6:15 a.m. and work until 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. depending

on how large the voter turnout is. Most managers begin as clerks and work

their way up the ranks.

Due to the

large airline and military population in the county, the request for absentee

ballots is huge. There can be over 5,000 absentee ballot requests during

a presidential election cycle.

The office

is also responsible for campaign disclosure reports and financial disclosures.

They notify the State Ethics Board when the reports are filed and provide

copies, for a nominal copying charge, upon request to the public.

A 3-member

board presides over Combs' office. The board is comprised of one Republican,

one Democrat and one County Commission appointee. Marilyn Watts, Al Lemothe

and Steve Kiser make up the current board.

The board meets

monthly with the Elections office and are responsible for making policy.

They meet more often during election cycles, working the same long hours

on election day as Carolyn and others regular staffers. They certify all

election returns, and in the event of a legal dispute, are the ones who

sit in the hot seat.

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