LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Early Voting for the May 24 General Primary/Nonpartisan General Election starts Monday (May 2) and will continue through May 20.

Early Voting will be open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.. There will also be one Saturday Voting opportunity on May 14 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Early Voting will be held at the Lumpkin County Elections and Voter Registration Office located at 56 Short Street, Dahlonega, GA.

The key race at the federal level is for 9th District U.S. Congress where the incumbent Doug Collins of Gainesville has come under heavy fire from conservatives as a result of his support for President Obama’s Omnibus bill and House Speaker John Boehner.

His challengers include former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Part Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier General Bernie Fontaine.

State Senator Steve Gooch of Dahlonega is running for re-election in the 51st District and has drawn a strong challenge from John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer County Tea Party.

Several key races highlight the local elections. Board of Commissioners Chairman Chris Dockery has drawn a challenger in current District 1 Commissioner Doug Sherrill. David Miller and Bill Scott will compete for the seat being vacated by Sherrill. There is a four-way race for District 2 Commissioner where the candidates are incumbent Steve Shaw, Bobby Mayfield, Carlton Smith and D.J. Wight.

In the race for District 1 Board of Education, the candidates are Catherine Ariemma, Jay Sessions and Mera Turner.