Metro Atlanta pastors say churches play key role in Georgia elections

Voters in Georgia's 13th Congressional District will head to the polls later this month to choose who will serve the remainder of the late U.S. Rep. David Scott's term.

The district includes parts of Gwinnett, DeKalb, Rockdale, Newton, Henry and Clayton counties.

As voters prepare to cast their ballots, some metro Atlanta churches are working to boost turnout through voter registration efforts and transportation to the polls.

Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest and the Rev. E. Dewey Smith of House of Hope in Decatur say their congregations have long encouraged civic engagement.

Smith said his church's "Souls to the Polls" initiative provides transportation for voters on Election Day.

"Our church has always been active. In 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King Sr. was the senior pastor of this church and was a pioneer in helping secure the right to vote. We've continued that legacy through voter registration drives and Souls to the Polls," Smith said.

Bryant said New Birth hosts voter registration drives throughout the year.

"The church has always been not just the soul of the community, but the conscience," Bryant said. "I think it is so important that the church takes an active role in equipping congregants on the issues that impact them."

Andra Gillespie, a political science professor at Emory University, said voter turnout in special elections is typically lower than in general elections.

Six candidates qualified for the special election in Georgia's 13th Congressional District. The ballot includes four Democratic candidates, including Scott's daughter, Marcye Scott, and two Republican candidates.

The winner will serve the remainder of Scott's current term, which expires in January.

"This is a Democratic district. I don't expect that we're going to see any surprises there," Gillespie said. "Given the number of candidates in the field, voters should be prepared for an August runoff. We could be looking at a scenario where no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote."

Gillespie said the outcome could have implications beyond Georgia because Republicans hold a narrow majority in the U.S. House.

"Congress is operating with a very narrow partisan majority," Gillespie said. "The shift in representation between the Democrats and the Republicans, from one seat to the next, could be the difference between legislation being able to pass or not."

The special election is July 28. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on Aug. 25.