The June 9th Primary is now less than three weeks away and Chattooga County Election Superintendent Jon Payne says that some adjustments will be necessary for in-person voting, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Judge Payne told WZQZ News on Wednesday that he will be sending a request to Chattooga County Superior Court Judge Kristina Cook Graham today to combine several precinct’s polling places.  Payne says that the move is necessary because many of the normal polling places are too small to maintain proper social-distancing guidelines.  Also, some of the churches that are normally used for polling places remain closed due to the pandemic.

In addition, Judge Payne says that there is a lack of poll workers to staff the county’s precincts.

The only three polling places that won’t be affected are the Summerville, Dirttown and Haywood Precincts.  Dirttown voters will be able to use the Gore Fire Hall because it is larger and voters can maintain social-distancing protocol.  Haywood Precinct voters will be voting at Ebeneezer Baptist Church.

Subligna voters will move from the Subligna Fire Hall to Subligna Baptist Church.  Judge Payne says that he is appreciative to Pastor Charles Bishop and the members of Subligna Baptist for allowing their building to be used as the alternate polling place.

Seminole, Dirtseller, Coldwater and Lyerly will be voting at the Lyerly Elementary School Gym. Voters in Cloudland and Alpine will be voting at the Menlo Elementary School Gym.  Meanwhile voters from Teloga and Pennville and Trion will be voting at the Trion Middle School Gym.  Judge Payne said that he appreciated  the Trion Board of Education and the Chattooga Board of Education for allowing their facilities to be used as polling places for the Primary elections.

Judge Payne is also reminding candidates to observe the 150′ campaigning rule outside polling places.  That includes the Chattooga County Registrar Office in downtown Summerville where early voting is already taking place.

A formal announcement about the changes to the polling places is expected in the upcoming days.