Although it’s only January, with 2012 being an election year, elections and primaries are right around the corner. Plus, a newly redrawn Ga. Assembly district map goes into effect July 31. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up in the next few months.

March 6 

Georgia will hold its presidential preference primary on March 6. Both Rockdale County and the city of Conyers will also hold a special ballot on Sunday alcohol package sales at the same time. 

Voters in the city of Conyers, which has the Olde Town and Conyers precincts, will be able to vote in both the city and county alcohol sales referendums. Voters residing in the county will only be able to vote in the county’s alcohol sales referendum.

Absentee ballots for early voting by mail for the March 6 election will be sent out  starting Jan. 20.

In-person early voting will begin Feb. 13 until March 2 on weekdays at the elections board office at 1400 Parker Road for all precincts. In-person early voting will also be available on Saturday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 1400 Parker Road.

Since there is a presidential preference primary, voters will receive a ballot to vote in the Republican primary, Democratic primary, or a non-partisan ballot with just the alcohol sales referendum. 

On March 6, polls will be open at the 18 local precincts in Rockdale from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. 

The Elections Supervisor’s office projects a turnout of about 22,169 voters or 47 percent of active registered voters.

The closing date for voter registration for this election is Feb. 6. The last day an absentee ballot can be mailed is Friday, March 2.

Photo identification, such as a driver’s license, state or federal government photo ID, US passport, US military photo ID, or tribal photo ID will be required to vote.

For more information, go to www.GAPhotoID.com. Or contact the elections supervisor’s office at 770-278-7333 or www.rockdalecounty.org. 

July 31

Partisan primaries for the November 6 General Election as well as non-partisan elections will take place July 31.

Local non-partisan races up for election on July 31 this year include: five school board seats, Superior Court Judge and State Court Judge.

Local partisan races that will be holding primaries include: Board of Commissioners Post I Commission, BOC Chairman, Superior Court Clerk, Sheriff, Tax Commissioner, Coroner, Probate Court judge and Magistrate Court judge.

All state General Assembly seats are partisan seats and are up for election this year.

Qualifying for partisan race primaries and for non-partisan elections is May 23 to May 25 at noon, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

For more information, go to www.sos.ga.gov/elections

The regional transportation penny sales tax, nicknamed the TSPLOST, will be on the ballot July 31 as well. Rockdale is part of the 10-county metro Atlanta region and is part of the Atlanta Regional Roundtable.

State Representatives and State Senate district maps

All the state House and Senate seats will be up for election in November this year. 

The U.S. Department of Justice recently approved redrawn and renumbered Congressional and state General Assembly maps. The new districts will go into effect as of July 31. 

Rockdale’s current delegation will continue to represent Rockdale through this winter's General Assembly session. Rockdale's delegation currently consists of four state House Representatives and two state Senators: District 92 Rep. Pamela Stephenson, District 93 Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, District 94 Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick, District 95 Rep. Pam Dickerson, District 43 State Sen. Ronald Ramsey and District 17 State Sen. Rick Jeffares. 

Among the changes the new maps would bring, it would bring three districts with representatives who have not represented Rockdale before. 

One of those districts has no incumbent – the new District 92. 

The new District 114, on the north portion of Rockdale running into Walton County, would have an incumbent from the current District 107. However, a special election for District 107 will be held in February to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Len Walker. The winner of that special election would be considered the incumbent for the new District 114 when it's up for election this fall.

The new maps shift the area currently represented by District 109 Rep. Steve Davis into Rockdale. 

The district with Rep. Dickerson as an incumbent, the new District 113, would cover mostly Newton County with one precinct in Rockdale. 

The area represented by incumbent Rep. Dar’Shun Kendrick, currently District 94, would no longer be in Rockdale and instead would cover portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett.

Rep. Stephenson would now be an incumbent in the new District 90, in the southern toe of Rockdale.

Rep. Dawkins-Haigler would be an incumbent in the new District 91, in the central/southern portion of Rockdale. 

The area currently represented by District 43 Sen. Ramsey would shift eastward to cover more of Newton County.

The area currently represented by District 17 Sen. Rick Jeffares would cover more of Rockdale. 

Rockdale County would have six House districts and keep its current two Senate districts under the proposed redrawn maps for Georgia House and Senate districts.

Rockdale would remain under the fourth Congressional District, currently represented by incumbent Rep. Hank Johnson, but the district would shift east to cover Newton County and would leave DeKalb County.