To vote in the July 31 primary and general election, you must be registered to vote by Monday, July 2.

The deadline to register to be eligible to vote in the upcoming July 31, general primary/non-partisan election and run-off, is this Monday, said Spalding County Election Supervisor Terry Colling. Any name and/or address changes need to be made by this deadline as well, Colling said.

This election includes the transportation sales tax, as well as contested elections for clerk of court, Probate judge and two county commission seats, District 3 and District 4, as well as U.S. House District 3 representative. Several other state and local candidates are also running, but are running unopposed.

Registered voters can request absentee ballots now and early voting begins July 9 and again includes one Saturday, July 21, for early voting. The run-off election, if necessary, would be Aug. 21.

To check to see if you are registered, where to go vote, or to get a copy of your sample ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, http://mvp.sos.state.ga.us/. For more information, call the Spalding County Office of Elections and Voter Registration at 770-467-4245.

And for anyone who would like to learn to operate the voting machine which will be used in the upcoming elections, the Griffin Branch NAACP will have a voting machine and a trainer to work with people who may need help this weekend at Rising Star Baptist Church, 132 W. Cherry St. The machine and a trainer will be there Saturday, June 30, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and again on Sunday, July 1, immediately following 11 a.m. service.