Voters must be registered by the end of today to cast a ballot in the July 31 elections that include a decision on the 1-cent regional transportation sales tax.

Fifteen Northwest Georgia counties will vote on a $1.4 billion package of projects to be completed during the 10 years the TSPLOST would be collected.

Several important local races in Floyd and surrounding counties also will be determined.

There is no Democrat running for the new state Senate District 52 seat that represents Floyd and parts of Chattooga, Bartow and Gordon counties. The winner of the Republican primary — Hayden Collins, David Doss or Chuck Hufstetler — will appear alone on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Floyd County voters have a special election to fill two vacant County Commission seats. Also, in the Republican primary, Roger Wade is challenging County Commissioner Garry Fricks. The winner will face Democrat Gary D. Harrell in the fall.

In Bartow County, there are five Republicans seeking to replace retiring Sole Commissioner Clarence Brown and no Democrat on the November ballot.

Likewise, Gordon County voters will choose a Republican sheriff and county commissioners, and Polk County voters have only Republicans running in three contested County Commission races.

In the Chattooga County Democratic primary, Joe Reed is challenging Sole Commissioner Jason Winters, and Chattooga Sheriff John Everett has opposition from Mark Schrader, Jud Westbrook and Jesse Adams. The winners will face Republican candidates in the November election.

More than 400,000 could vote on TSPLOST

As of June, there was a total of 410,675 registered voters in the 15-county region.

The TSPLOST will be decided by the region as a whole — which means counties where the referendum fails would still be bound by a majority passing vote.

Paulding County has by far the most registered voters: 74,260, according to Georgia secretary of state documents.

Bartow is second with 49,668, and Floyd, with 44,890, rounds out the top three. Whitfield had 37,976 as of June 1.

The number of registered voters in the other counties voting on the TSPLOST are as follows: Catoosa, 33,566; Walker, 31,861; Gordon, 24,405; Polk, 18,635; Murray, 16,343; Pickens, 16,288; Gilmer, 14,605; Haralson, 14,300; Fannin, 13,875; Chattooga, 11,403; and Dade, 8,600.

Floyd County Elections Supervisor Evon Billups recommends that voters registering today, and those who need to change their name or address, go directly to their elections office. The Floyd County office is in the County Administration Building, 12 E. Fourth Ave.

Residents also may sign up at drivers licensing posts run by the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles and other government agencies.

Click here go to the Secretary of State's My Voter Page to check your registration status and see a personalized ballot.