UNDATED - While about a third of Georgia's registered voters went to the polls in early and advance voting, many more are expected to vote Election Day, which is Tuesday. Some in the Gainesville area will have a lot of local races and/or issues to choose from. But for others, the list is a short one.
At the top of the ballot everywhere, of course, is the presidential race.
But statewide, contested races include one for U.S. Senate race, another for state Court of Appeals and a contest for a seat on the state Public Service Commission.
In the Gainesville area and elsewhere in the state, numerous state Legislative seats, judgeships and other local position are up for grabs. The shortest ballots will be in Dawson, Hall, Habersham and Jackson counties, while the longest are in Gwinnett, Lumpkin and White.
WHITE COUNTY
In White County, the ballot contains seven local issues, including a controversial alcoholic beverage proposal, by far the highest number of any of the counties.
The alcoholic beverage question calls for allowing the sale and beer and wine county-wide. Right now it's allowed only in Cleveland and Helen, and there are some wineries where wine is sold.
There is also a proposal to increase to five, from three, the number of members on the county commission; a measure to increase the pay of county commission members; and a proposal to extend a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Also on the ballot is a proposed redistricting plan for the school board, a land management plan for the county and a county homestead exemption.
As for the political races that are on the ballot, voters in White County will choose a new county commission chairman from between Travis Turner and Joe Hatcher.
Also on the ballot is a race for county school board chairman, pitting incumbent Kendyl Brock against Dan Liles.
BANKS COUNTY
In Banks County there are two contested local races on the ballot, along with a proposal to expand the size of the county commission.
Vying for tax commissioner are incumbent Margaret Ausburn and Becky Taylor.
A seat on the county school board is also up for grabs: Post One incumbent Neal Brown squares off against John David Kennedy.
Banks County voters are also being asked to decide whether the county commission should be increased from a three-member board to a five-member board.
BARROW COUNTY
Barrow County voters are choosing a new sheriff this year. Joel Robinson is stepping down when his term expires at the end of the year. The two men seeking to replace him are Judd Smith and James Bonnemer Sr.
There are two other local races on the Barrow County ballot. Voters have a choice between incumbent June Davis and challenger Johnny C. Smith in the race for Chief Magistrate, and District Three County Commissioner Bill Healan is running against Steve Worley.
FORSYTH COUNTY
Forsyth County voters are being asked to give their approval to bond issues totaling millions of dollars for law enforcement. They are also voting on two contested races, one for county commission and one for a seat on the school board.
At stake with the bond issues, in what is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, are a new county jail and a new sheriff's department headquarters.
For the District Four seat on the Forsyth County Commission, the race is between Patrick Bell and Jon Flack.
School board Post Four is also on the ballot. That race features Darla Sexton Light and Sheila Elliot.
In each case, the incumbents are not seeking re-election.
GWINNETT COUNTY
The largest number of contested local races the Gainesville area Tuesday is in Gwinnett County, where seven races are on the ballot, along with one local issue.
Clerk of Court Tom Lawler is fighting for his job against Abby Alaoui; County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister, who survived a brutal primary election in July, is up against Vincent Passariello; and District Three County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau has Earl Hendon as his opponent.
District One school board member Carole Boyce is facing off against Megan Kline. Meanwhile, District Three School Board member Mary Kay Murphy is trying to hold on to her job in the face of a challenge from Jane Hendrix. The race for the District Five seat on the Gwinnett school board is also contested, with Ravindra Kumar trying to unseat Louise Radloff.
There is even a contested judge's race on the ballot: incumbent Superior Court Judge Richard Winegarden is opposed by Karen Byers.
And, the one local issue on the ballot in Gwinnett is a proposed SPLOST extension.
LUMPKIN COUNTY
The ballot in Lumpkin County is another of the most crowded in the area.
There is the race for the open Tax Commissioner post between Rachel Ellen Pruitt and Lana B. Pruitt, and the race for another open seat, County Commission Chairman, between Republican John Raber and Democrat Emily Lewy.
In two non-partisan races, incumbent Michael Chastain is being challenged for his job as Probate Judge by Pat Cagle, and there are four candidates for a seat on the Lumpkin County School Board: Post One, now held by Stroud Stacy, who is seeking re-election. Also in that race are Christopher Bearden, Jason Davis and Susan Stockwell.
Also on the ballot in Lumpkin County is a County Homestead Exemption and a School Homestead Exemption.
And, there is a special city council race for people living in Dahlonega, with four candidates for the unexpired term of Bill Scott, who resigned his seat: Johnny Ariemma, Robert Bridges, Ralph Prescott and John Webb. Voters in Dahlonega have their own Homestead Exemption to vote on as well.
OTHER COUNTIES
There are four counties in the area where there are only one or two local matters on the ballot Tuesday.
Dawson County, for instance, has no local contested races to be voted on and only a couple of homestead exemption questions on the ballot.
It is much the same in Habersham County, where District One School Board member Dick Martin squares off against challenger Trend Demore.
In Hall County, a race for a judgeship in state court is the only truly local race on the ballot. Sonny Sykes is challenging incumbent Charles Wynne.
Hall County voters will decide the fate of a homestead exemption and will be voting on a non-binding referendum that would allow county property taxes to be paid in two installments.
And in Jackson County, among local races and issues, there is only a homestead exemption question on the ballot.
CONGRESSIONAL, STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES
There are also a number of congressional and state legislative races on the ballots throughout northeast Georgia.
Ninth District Congressman Nathan Deal drew opposition this year from Jeff Scott. The race for the 10th District seat pits incumbent Paul Broun against Wayne Saxon.
As for state legislative races, there is the senate race between incumbent Ralph Hudgens and Tim Riley (that's a district in the Athens area).
Meanwhile, veteran Toccoa State Rep. Jeannette Jamieson is facing stiff opposition from Michael Harden.
Incumbent James Mills of Gainesville is squaring off against Chris Strickland of Flowery Branch, and Rep. Charles Jenkins of Blairsville is going up against Stephen Allison.
Wednesday
April 24th, 2024
10:30PM
