With the general primary election looming on Tuesday, the Dawson County Board of Elections and Registration is gearing up to tally votes for several contested seats for state and local offices.

Early voting began April 30 and 566 ballots had been cast as of Tuesday morning, with early voting closing up at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 18.

There are currently 17,290 active registered voters in the county.

There is only one voting location for advance voting and all in-person voters must vote at the Dawson County Board of Elections Office at 96 Academy Avenue in Dawsonville.

On Election Day, May 22, residents must go to their assigned voting precinct to vote between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

If you have questions about your registration status, voting location or wish to view a sample ballot you can visit My Voter Page at www.mvp.sosga.gov/MVP/mvp or call the elections and registration office at (706) 344-3640.

In the primaries, voters will be able to decide their party’s candidates for seats at the county, state and federal levels for the Nov. 6 election.

The following local races will be contested in the primary:

• Republican candidate District 3 Board of Education: Incumbent Karen Armstrong and Joe Stapp

• Republican candidate District 9 state Representative: Incumbent Kevin Tanner and Mark Hajduk

• Democratic candidate District 9 U.S. Representative: Dave Cooper and Josh McCall

• Republican candidate District 7 state Representative: Incumbent David Ralston and Margaret Williamson

Party candidates for state offices, including governor and lieutenant governor, will also be decided in the primary:

• Republican candidate for Governor: Casey Cagle, Eddie Hayes, Hunter Hill, Brian Kemp, Clay Tippins, Marc Urbach and Michael Williams

• Democratic candidate for Governor: Stacey Abrams and Stacey Evans

• Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor: Geoff Duncan, Rick Jeffares and David Shafer

• Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor: Sarah Riggs Amico and Triana Arnold James