Advance voting begins this week for the Dawsonville mayor seat.

Early voting will be held today through March 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday only, at the board of elections office at 96 Academy Avenue.

Only city residents can vote. 

On the ballot are Mike Eason, incumbent, and James Grogan, former mayor. 

Grogan, 75, is seeking to finish a term that he started on Jan. 1, 2016 that was unceremoniously cut short by a vote of city council last year.

If elected during the March 20 special election, Grogan would be working with two city council members who voted for his removal in May of 2017, Caleb Phillips and Jason Power. One of the council members who voted to remove him, Angie Smith, and another who did not, Mike Sosebee,  were defeated in the November election by newcomers Mark French and Stephen Tolson, who took office Jan. 1.

Grogan served on the city council from 2010 to 2012, and was appointed acting mayor in April 2012 after the death of Joe Lane Cox. He won the July 31, 2012 special election and was re-elected in 2015 for a four-year term. 

He was officially removed from office in October and Eason was subsequently sworn in as acting mayor. 

Eason, 67, will serve until the new mayor is sworn in April 9. 

Eason was formerly the City of Cumming police chief and Deputy State Inspector General. He worked as a special agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for over 30 years. 

Both Eason and Grogan participated in a forum hosted by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 13. You can view the entire forum online at the Dawson County Chamber YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9OVRu0IX2M.

The special election is to fill the unexpired term of the mayor, and the elected candidate will serve until Dec. 31, 2019.

Election day is March 20, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The board of elections office can be reached at (706) 344-3640.