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Why Fulton County primary election results are delayed in Georgia; update on shooting reports

The primary election results for Fulton County in Georgia are set to be delayed after a disruption in the process amid accusations of a man firing shots. Polls in Georgia have now closed, but Fulton County is keeping the polling locations open till 11pm.

Fulton County voting stickers are displayed at the Metropolitan Library during the Georgia Midterm Primary Election in Atlanta, Georgia. (REUTERS)

One polling station in Sandy Springs has extended voting to 11pm after the site was temporarily closed due to police activity nearby. Meanwhile, a few locations in Cobb County were kept past 7pm due to technical difficulties.

Fulton County has noted that it will release results for other polling stations only once all of them close. Hence, the delayed time is now set for 11pm.

Fulton County: Sandy Springs shooting reports

Reports of a suspicious individual firing shots close to the polling station prompted massive action from local police and SWAT teams. As per Fox 5 Atlanta, authorities closed the entrance road to Overlook Park in Sandy Springs amid the accusations of shots being fired.

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Ison Elementary School, which was a polling station nearby, had to be shut down as cops looked for the individual.

What to know about the Fulton County and Georgia elections

The elections this time in Fulton County, and by extension, Georgia, serve as a referendum on the Trump administration and also gives Democrats a chance to pick up seats and swing the momentum in their favor. This polls, including the general elections in November, could be the last time voters are within their current districts, with the state mulling redistricting.

Currently Georgia House District 12 race is headed for a runoff. Ceretta Smith got 32.61 percent of the votes and Traci George got 27.24 percent, prompting House Democrats to have to vote again, when they appear on next month’s runoff ballot. Rick Allen won the Republican nomination by a lot, securing 83.39 percent of the votes.

Tim Fleming and Vernon Jones are headed to a Republican Secretary of State runoff. While Fulton County results are delayed, those from Atlanta and surrounding northern and southeastern suburbs are not likely to be enough to balance the playing field, as per Savannah Now. The publication added Penny Reynolds led the Democrats with 43 percent of the votes, Dana Barrett has 34.4 percent. Voting reported stands at 50.3 percent as per the publication, which noted that a runoff was likely coming in June.