Primary election day in Georgia arrived Tuesday as voters braced for  and social distancing at the polls.It will be a unique election held amid the coronavirus pandemic.Here are minute-by-minute updates on Tuesday’s election from AJC reporters and photographers on the scene:10:15 p.m. update: After a tumultuous and contentious day, metro Atlanta polling places are officially closed.Human error or mechanical problems plagued many polling places. At some, hundreds of voters waited to cast their ballot – some for hours. State and local officials traded blame for what some deemed a...…Primary election day in Georgia arrived Tuesday as voters braced for  and social distancing at the polls.It will be a unique election held amid the coronavirus pandemic.Here are minute-by-minute updates on Tuesday’s election from AJC reporters and photographers on the scene:10:15 p.m. update: After a tumultuous and contentious day, metro Atlanta polling places are officially closed.Human error or mechanical problems plagued many polling places. At some, hundreds of voters waited to cast their ballot – some for hours. State and local officials traded blame for what some deemed a...WW…

Voters across metro Atlanta endured long lines and waited hours in heat and downpours to cast their ballot on Friday.Officials with Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties said a mix of social distancing measures and the fact that it was the last day of early voting before Tuesday’s primary led to unusuallylong lines.This is yet another challenge during an already bumpy election season. New  is in play. COVID-19 led to fewer polling places and poll workers.Article continues belowREAD | Counties also opened fewer early voting precincts assuming voters would cast absentee ballots after...…Voters across metro Atlanta endured long lines and waited hours in heat and downpours to cast their ballot on Friday.Officials with Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties said a mix of social distancing measures and the fact that it was the last day of early voting before Tuesday’s primary led to unusuallylong lines.This is yet another challenge during an already bumpy election season. New  is in play. COVID-19 led to fewer polling places and poll workers.Article continues belowREAD | Counties also opened fewer early voting precincts assuming voters would cast absentee ballots after...WW…

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden praised Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for her “incredible” response to days of civil unrest, singling her out during a Monday forum with other mayors for her passionate plea asking demonstrators to go home.During a virtual discussion with Bottoms and the mayors of Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Paul, Biden stoked more talk that he could pick the  to be his , lauding her .“You’ve been incredible. I’ve watched you like millions and millions of Americans have on television of late,” Biden said. “Your passion, your...…Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden praised Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for her “incredible” response to days of civil unrest, singling her out during a Monday forum with other mayors for her passionate plea asking demonstrators to go home.During a virtual discussion with Bottoms and the mayors of Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Paul, Biden stoked more talk that he could pick the  to be his , lauding her .“You’ve been incredible. I’ve watched you like millions and millions of Americans have on television of late,” Biden said. “Your passion, your...WW…

Protesters made their way from downtown Atlanta and into Buckhead late Friday, damaging businesses, looting and leaving behind a path of destruction.Atlanta police officers were joined by other metro law enforcement agencies in trying to thwart the protesters. Late Friday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp deployed members of the National Guard to the Lenox area.What began Friday afternoon as a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis turned into chaos as marchers returned from the state capital to the CNN Center. Various fires were set downtown and in Buckhead, and early...…Protesters made their way from downtown Atlanta and into Buckhead late Friday, damaging businesses, looting and leaving behind a path of destruction.Atlanta police officers were joined by other metro law enforcement agencies in trying to thwart the protesters. Late Friday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp deployed members of the National Guard to the Lenox area.What began Friday afternoon as a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis turned into chaos as marchers returned from the state capital to the CNN Center. Various fires were set downtown and in Buckhead, and early...WW…

Juneteenth has replaced Columbus Day as an official holiday in Fulton County.Fulton County commissioners voted last week to swap the holidays. Starting in 2021, Fulton will commemorate the anniversary of American slaves learning about their freedom by closing county offices and giving employees the day off on June 19. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, offices will close the Friday prior to June 19. If it falls on Sunday, the Monday following June 19 will be off.DeKalb County an official holiday.The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865 — when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were...…Juneteenth has replaced Columbus Day as an official holiday in Fulton County.Fulton County commissioners voted last week to swap the holidays. Starting in 2021, Fulton will commemorate the anniversary of American slaves learning about their freedom by closing county offices and giving employees the day off on June 19. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, offices will close the Friday prior to June 19. If it falls on Sunday, the Monday following June 19 will be off.DeKalb County an official holiday.The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865 — when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were...WW…

There’s a growing revolt among cities upset that Georgia isn’t doing enough to contain the coronavirus. And Gov. Brian Kemp isn’t yet doing anything to stop it.A week after Savannah became the first Georgia city to require the use of face masks, two other local governments joined their ranks. East Point lawmakers approved restrictions on Monday and officials in Kemp’s hometown of Athens followed suit on Tuesday. Several others have scheduled votes later this week.The requirements could come into conflict with a statewide order from Kemp that  – but does not mandate – the use of masks...…There’s a growing revolt among cities upset that Georgia isn’t doing enough to contain the coronavirus. And Gov. Brian Kemp isn’t yet doing anything to stop it.A week after Savannah became the first Georgia city to require the use of face masks, two other local governments joined their ranks. East Point lawmakers approved restrictions on Monday and officials in Kemp’s hometown of Athens followed suit on Tuesday. Several others have scheduled votes later this week.The requirements could come into conflict with a statewide order from Kemp that  – but does not mandate – the use of masks...WW…

UPDATE: 1:15 p.m.: Fulton County officials say election workers have completed processing absentee-by-mail ballots. Fulton elections head Richard Barron said that 145,748 absentee-by-mail ballots have been processed.Of that, he said, results of 138,000 have been posted online and 1,200 more absentees that required more signature verification will come later today — meaning there’s a difference of roughly 7,000 between what’s been processed and what’s been posted.There are still 3,600 provisional ballots and an undetermined amount of military overseas ballots left to be finalized. The...…UPDATE: 1:15 p.m.: Fulton County officials say election workers have completed processing absentee-by-mail ballots. Fulton elections head Richard Barron said that 145,748 absentee-by-mail ballots have been processed.Of that, he said, results of 138,000 have been posted online and 1,200 more absentees that required more signature verification will come later today — meaning there’s a difference of roughly 7,000 between what’s been processed and what’s been posted.There are still 3,600 provisional ballots and an undetermined amount of military overseas ballots left to be finalized. The...WW…

For the first time today, voting equipment was working at Morris Brandon Elementary’s Primary Center in Buckhead — where voters were forced to use emergency paper ballots instead of the state’s .Ryan Barrows, a poll worker at the precinct, had said the scanners are locked and election workers couldn’t get into the machines.When asked about the cause of the issue at 8:30 a.m., Fulton County spokeswoman Jessica Corbitt said: “We are working with the poll manager now to resolve the technical issue they are experiencing at that location."The county sent a technician to the precinct, located on...…For the first time today, voting equipment was working at Morris Brandon Elementary’s Primary Center in Buckhead — where voters were forced to use emergency paper ballots instead of the state’s .Ryan Barrows, a poll worker at the precinct, had said the scanners are locked and election workers couldn’t get into the machines.When asked about the cause of the issue at 8:30 a.m., Fulton County spokeswoman Jessica Corbitt said: “We are working with the poll manager now to resolve the technical issue they are experiencing at that location."The county sent a technician to the precinct, located on...WW…

A mass of motivated Georgia voters overloaded polling places on the first day of early voting Monday, many lining up before doors opened to make sure their ballots would be counted.They were in for long waits, some exceeding eight hours. Computer glitches at several polling places, including a huge voting location inside in downtown Atlanta, only lengthened delays.The start of three weeks of early voting showed how the combination of high turnout and with election equipment could also result in problems on a busy Election Day. A record number of Georgia voters, over 5 million, are expected...…A mass of motivated Georgia voters overloaded polling places on the first day of early voting Monday, many lining up before doors opened to make sure their ballots would be counted.They were in for long waits, some exceeding eight hours. Computer glitches at several polling places, including a huge voting location inside in downtown Atlanta, only lengthened delays.The start of three weeks of early voting showed how the combination of high turnout and with election equipment could also result in problems on a busy Election Day. A record number of Georgia voters, over 5 million, are expected...WW…

After years of and , Fulton County may have a plan to move forward with two key projects from its transit expansion plan.County officials and local mayors have discussed including two lines — one along Ga. 400 in north Fulton, the other on South Fulton Parkway — on a list of projects to be included in a transportation sales tax measure they plan to send to voters next year. The sales tax has been used only for smaller local road projects.The proposal is far from settled — leaders from the north and the south still aren’t convinced the plan makes sense. And this approach would not pay for...…After years of and , Fulton County may have a plan to move forward with two key projects from its transit expansion plan.County officials and local mayors have discussed including two lines — one along Ga. 400 in north Fulton, the other on South Fulton Parkway — on a list of projects to be included in a transportation sales tax measure they plan to send to voters next year. The sales tax has been used only for smaller local road projects.The proposal is far from settled — leaders from the north and the south still aren’t convinced the plan makes sense. And this approach would not pay for...WW…