Alcohol restricted on Election Day 

If you’re ready to throw one back after exiting the polls today, you’re going to have to trek at least 250 feet to find an alcohol vendor.

According to Article 2 section 6-4-36 of the Gainesville Municipal Code, no beer, wine or liquor can be sold on Election Day, also including primaries, within 250 feet of any established polling place. Christmas Day is the only other day of the year that falls under this prohibitive Gainesville ordinance.

Local governments in Georgia have the option to ban alcohol sales in bars and restaurants on Election Day, according to the National Restaurant Association.

If you’re unable to drive and need a ride to the polls today, your options are limited.

"We took our seniors to advance voting. We wanted to go ahead and get it out of the way," said Merry Howard, manager of the Gainesville-Hall Senior Life Center. "But we don’t offer assistance to people who are not members (of the center)."

A spokeswoman for Legacy Link, the Area Agency on Aging in Gainesville, said she did not know of any groups that will be shuttling elderly or disabled people to the voting precincts today. "Except for maybe the political parties," she said.

Joshua Morris, District 3 chairman for the Hall County Republican Party, said the local GOP will not be offering rides this year.

But Abb Hayes, chairman of Hall County Democrats, said if people call 770-842-1923, he’ll connect them with a volunteer who can drive them to their voting location.

"We’ll be happy to help anybody that needs a ride," he said. "We’ve been carrying folks to the polls over the last few weeks."

Hayes noted that there seems to be less demand for rides on Election Day this year, possibly because Georgia’s 45-day advance voting period allowed people time to arrange for their own transportation.

Most people will stay home to watch television coverage of the election tonight. But for some folks, an election is like a big sporting event, and it’s more fun to share the experience with a crowd.

Both of the major political parties are planning to gather after the polls close to watch the results come in. Joshua Morris, District 3 chairman for the Hall County Republican Party, said the GOP event will start at about 7 p.m. at the Sterling on the Lake clubhouse in Flowery Branch. It is open to the public.

Abb Hayes, chairman of the Hall County Democrats, said his party will gather at 7 p.m. at the Loco’s restaurant in Sherwood Plaza.

"We’ll have appetizers and a cash bar," he said, adding that if someone wants to order a meal, that would be on their own tab. Hayes said the viewing party is open to anyone who wants to come.

Douglas Young, faculty adviser to the Politically Incorrect Club at Gainesville State College, said the Student Life office is sponsoring a nonpartisan viewing party in the Student Center lounge beginning at 7 p.m.

"The doors to the building are closed (from the outside) at 8:30, so students need to be here by then," he said. "But they can stay until midnight if they want."

While stories of eight-hour wait times may hold true for some areas, officials say that should not be the case for Jackson County voters.

"According to our registrar, we’ve had about a third of our voters vote already (during early and advanced voting)," said Margaret Deadwyler, Jackson County elections superintendent. "So that should help cut way back on waiting time at our precincts.

"At most there might be a two-hour wait time depending on the voter turnout, but I don’t anticipate that voters will have to wait that long."

Voters also will be able to vote at their usual precincts, as no voting locations have changed in the past two years, officials say.