Election Day Changes, Heavy Rain Ahead and Property-Tax Relief

Election Day brings last-minute voting changes, a consequential transportation referendum and several local government decisions, while North Atlanta prepares for a wet Wednesday.

1. Election Day polls are open until 7 p.m.

Georgia voters choose federal, state and local leaders today after more than 2.8 million ballots were cast during early voting.

Election Day voters must use their assigned precinct, which can be confirmed through the Georgia Secretary of State’s election page. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and anyone in line by 7 p.m. may vote. Photo identification is required.

Completed absentee ballots generally must reach the county elections office by 7 p.m. today; a postmark alone is not sufficient. Preliminary results will begin appearing after polls close, although close contests and provisional ballots may delay final outcomes.

2. Gwinnett voters face absentee-ballot delays and precinct changes

Gwinnett County agreed to contact nearly 2,000 voters whose requested absentee ballots had not been delivered and send replacement packages by overnight mail after civil-rights groups sought emergency court relief. The settlement requires expedited replacement ballots but does not change today’s general 7 p.m. return deadline.

A voter whose requested ballot still has not arrived may instead vote at the assigned Election Day precinct, following the county’s absentee-voting guidance.

Eight Gwinnett precincts also have new locations. The latest change moves Pinckneyville N, Precinct 059, to Unity Atlanta Church at 3597 Parkway Lane in Peachtree Corners. Duluth G, Precinct 096, has moved from B.B. Harris Elementary School to Friendship Baptist Church at 3375 Church St. Voters should verify their site through the county’s polling-place locator before leaving home.

3. One to two inches of rain could fall Wednesday

North Atlanta should remain mostly dry today, although clouds and easterly wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph will make for a breezy Election Day. Rain will begin spreading into the region late tonight and early Wednesday.

The National Weather Service forecast discussion calls for widespread showers Wednesday, with isolated thunderstorms and one to two inches of rain across much of North Georgia by Thursday morning. Some locations could approach 2.5 inches.

Forecasters do not currently expect widespread flooding or severe weather, but Wednesday’s rain could slow commutes and collect in poor-drainage areas.

4. Fulton says challenged status alone will not block voting

Fewer than 7,000 Fulton County voter records were placed under review because their registered addresses were classified as commercial or nonresidential. A resolution reached before Election Day allows eligible voters to cast regular ballots once their residence is confirmed.

Fulton County says no voter was removed or barred solely because of the designation. Poll workers can address the issue at the precinct. A voter whose eligibility cannot be resolved immediately may request a provisional ballot and provide the necessary documentation within the post-election cure period.

5. North Fulton voters decide the future of a major transportation tax

Voters in Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs will decide whether to renew Fulton County’s 0.75% transportation sales tax for another five years.

The TSPLOST renewal would collect an estimated $650 million across 14 Fulton cities from 2027 through 2032. Each city would control its share for projects such as road maintenance, intersection improvements, bridges, sidewalks and trails.

Projected allocations include about $112.3 million for Sandy Springs, $98.2 million for Roswell, $86.4 million for Johns Creek, $71.6 million for Alpharetta and $44.2 million for Milton. A “yes” vote continues the existing tax; a “no” vote allows it to expire in March.

6. Georgia begins distributing homeowner tax-relief money

State funds for the 2026 Homeowner Tax Relief Grant will begin reaching local governments this week, putting a one-time property-tax reduction onto qualifying bills.

The program reduces the assessed value of an eligible homestead by $18,000. It is not an $18,000 check or an $18,000 reduction in the final tax bill. The actual savings depend on local millage rates and the homeowner’s remaining tax liability.

Homeowners who already hold a qualifying homestead exemption do not need to file a separate application. Some bills already show the credit, while others will reflect it as local governments complete their billing. The Georgia Department of Revenue explains the calculation and eligibility rules.

7. Roswell police call fatal apartment shooting targeted

The fatal shooting of a 34-year-old man at the Post + Wander apartment community was a targeted attack, Roswell police now say.

Officers found the victim after responding to the Chattahoochee Circle complex at about 8:45 p.m. Saturday. He died after being taken to a hospital. No arrest or suspect description had been announced by Monday, but investigators said they were pursuing active leads.

The Halloween-night homicide remains under investigation. Police have not indicated that the shooting was random or that there is a continuing threat to the broader neighborhood.

8. Sandy Springs holds its final property-tax hearings today

Sandy Springs residents have two opportunities today to comment on the city’s proposed property-tax rate. Hearings are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. at City Hall.

The proposed rate is 4.731 mills. Although the rate is nearly unchanged, Georgia’s rollback rules require the city to advertise a tax increase because reassessments would produce more revenue than the calculated rollback rate.

The city’s tax-hearing notice projects a maintenance-and-operations levy of about $52.64 million, approximately 0.5% more than last year. Tonight’s session is the third and final required hearing.

9. Brookhaven opens public review of its 2027 budget

Brookhaven’s proposed 2027 budget receives its first public hearing at 6:30 p.m. today at City Centre. The council will hear comments but will not vote tonight.

The proposed General Fund totals approximately $45.6 million and keeps the city’s millage rate at 3.85 mills. Public safety represents the largest operating commitment, while planned capital work includes Peachtree Creek Greenway extensions, a bridge over Interstate 85 and improvements near Ashford Dunwoody and Windsor Parkway.

A second hearing and possible adoption are scheduled for Nov. 17. The city’s meeting notice and agenda provide tonight’s full schedule.

10. Georgia State Patrol begins accepting digital licenses

Drivers stopped by the Georgia State Patrol may now present a Georgia driver’s license stored in a supported digital wallet. The driver should tell the trooper that the credential is on the phone and follow instructions; the device does not have to be unlocked or handed over.

The Department of Driver Services says only the State Patrol currently accepts Georgia digital credentials statewide. Local police departments may not, and a dead or damaged phone leaves the driver without an accessible license. DDS therefore advises motorists to continue carrying the physical card.