Early Voting Sites Needed to Replace Civic Center, Libraries

Feb. 1, 2026 – With the pending demolition of the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena at the Civic Center, Chatham County officials are searching for a replacement to the popular downtown early voting location ahead of this year’s elections.

For the May primary election, Chatham County currently has five confirmed early voting sites: Islands Library, Southwest Library, Garden City Library, Mosquito Control, and the voter registration annex on Eisenhower Drive, according to officials at the Chatham County Board of Registrars meeting on Jan. 28.

And for the anticipated June runoff election, only two locations – Mosquito Control and the Eisenhower building – will be available, as libraries are unavailable due to summer reading programs.

For the November general election, the county expects to add Pooler City Hall, bringing the total to six confirmed sites, with hopes for a seventh downtown location.

During last week’s board meeting, commenters noted that downtown serves as a crucial voting hub for residents without reliable transportation, college students who may not have vehicles, service industry workers, and individuals seeking social services in the area.

“To me what’s critical about a downtown site and why it’s been very helpful in recent years is capture a lot of people working and can go during their lunch hour …” said Chairman Colin McRae. “But more importantly, it’s right near the CAT transfer center and so it serves a lot of people who might not otherwise have their own transportation to get to say the voter registration annex or one of those satellite sites around the county.”

County officials working with the city to secure the Otis Johnson Cultural Arts Center as a replacement downtown early voting location, according to Sabrina German, Director of the Chatham County Board of Registrars. The city-owned facility across Montgomery Street from the Johnny Mercer Theater is viewed as the leading replacement option for restoring downtown voting access, however; negotiations remain in preliminary stages, with leadership discussions ongoing between county and city managers, German said.

Public commenters during the meeting voiced strong support for not only securing a downtown location but also expanding voting hours and weekend availability.

Resident Chassidy Malloy echoed another speaker’s concerns with regard to treating the runoff election sites the same as the board would for primary or general elections sites.

“There will be a runoff,” Malloy said. “There’s always a runoff in Georgia, so it would be great to also see how we can solidify existing sites being pursued for the primary and secure those for the runoff election on June 16.”

In June 2024, the Savannah City Council adopted a resolution to demolish the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena at the Civic Center, while preserving the Johnny Mercer Theater portion of the structure. City staffers are currently working to complete demolition plans for the MLK Arena after the city council approved in October the execution of an agreement with Reeves Young, LLC. for preconstruction services, the first step in the demolition process.

A later phase, still requiring council approval, will include asbestos and lead abatement, removal of the arena structure, and construction of a temporary enclosure connecting the remaining Civic Center lobby and Johnny Mercer Theater.

The city held a ceremony on Jan. 17 to rename the Civic Center in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Johnny Mercer Theatre and other internal assets will retain their names.

The arena’s condition has steadily worsened in recent years. Leaks and roof failures forced early voting to relocate this year, and city officials have said the building’s deterioration makes maintenance unsustainable.

Past Coverage: No Early Voting at Leaking Savannah Civic Center This Year – Savannah Agenda

2026 Election Schedule

May 19, 2026: General Primary / Nonpartisan Election
Advance voting: Apr. 27–May 15 | Register by: Apr. 20
June 16, 2026: Primary / Nonpartisan Runoff
Advance voting: June 8–12 | Runoff cutoff: May 18*
Nov. 3, 2026: General / Special Election
Advance voting: Oct. 13–30 | Register by: Oct. 5
Dec. 1, 2026: General / Special Runoff
Advance voting: Nov. 23–25 | Runoff cutoff: Nov. 2*

*Applies to voters eligible for a runoff.

If you find value in this website, please consider contributing above or via Paypal to help cover the costs. You can also send contributions via Venmo @Savannah_Agenda. Your support, no matter how much you give, is appreciated and will help ensure the future viability of this community resource. You can also show your support by subscribing below and sharing Savannah Agenda with others via email or social media. Increasing readership is critical to the long-term success of this site.