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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - Pike County Times spoke with Election Supervisor Lynn Vickers on November 7, 2019 after receiving the Official Complete results of the November 5, 2019 Special Election. Of particular interest was the details behind the notification that the press received about the emergency meeting that the Board of Elections held on Election Day.
She advised that the Election Board had an emergency meeting on Election Day to discuss a situation with one voter's ability to vote. In this situation, the voter had allowed the Georgia Department of Drivers Services to update their voter registration information when updating their driver's license information and a mistake was made when the information was inputted into the system. [Note from the Editor: This doesn't happen often, but it can happen.]
Lynn advised that an error in residency had been made so the Board met to decide where and if the person was eligible to vote. The Board discussed the situation and voted to allow the person to vote in the appropriate precinct.
Pike County Times asked about how the night went overall and whether any changes would be made during the December 3 Runoff Election Night. "We've already learned a new process," said Lynn.
She also said that poll workers will come in the back door and wait in a room that is different than the main room where the public gathered to hear the election results on November 5. There were candidates from the cities as well as the four county commission candidates sitting in the main room along with the press and poll workers so it was a little crowded with people spilling outside as we waited for the announcement of the results.
"This was the first time in this location," she said. "We're going to be making some changes to make this a smoother process."
There was also a new person from the State in the county to assist with the election on November 5 rather than the regular person who usually helps with elections. There were issues with getting the Election Summary Reports to print correctly, and there were printer issues with just getting the reports to print.
Britain Turner from IT was called in to fix the printer issue. After that, Unofficial and Incomplete Election Summary Reports were printed.
There were some changes to the final numbers when Absentee by Mail Ballots and a Provisional Ballot were added to compile the Official and Complete Election Summary Report on November 7.
In the County Commission District 3 race, there were 3,192 registered voters. The Unofficial and Incomplete Election Summary shows that 319 votes were cast for a 9.99% voter turnout. The Official and Complete Results show the addition of 3 Absentee by Mail votes.
The numbers changed by 3 but nothing that would have impacted the outcome of this race. Final votes cast equal 322 for a voter turnout of 10.09%. The final numbers are as follows:
Jerome Finley received 113 votes and 35.20% of the vote. *He gained 2 additional votes from Absentee Ballot by Mail.
Robby Kendrick received 21 votes and 6.54% of the vote.
Misty Meeks received 47 votes and 14.64% of the vote.
Jason Proctor received 140 votes and 43.61% of the vote. *He gained 1 additional vote from Absentee Ballot by Mail.
There will be a Runoff between Jerome Finley and Jason Proctor for this commission seat.
Early voting for the December 3rd Run-off for the District 3 County Commissioner seat will begin Monday, November 18, 2019 at 8 a.m. and run to 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at 5 p.m. Early voting will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Office of Elections & Registration located at 81 Jackson St. Zebulon. Please call 770-567-2003 if you have any questions. *There will be NO early voting on Monday, December 2. Election Day will be on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Some of the contested races in the cities changed with the certification and addition of Absentee by Mail ballots and one Provisional Ballot that was mentioned in the emergency meeting above.
In the Official and Complete Results for all of the city races, there were 1,483 registered voters and 216 ballots cast for a voter turnout of 14.57%. The Unofficial and Incomplete Summary showed 212 ballots cast for a difference of 4 ballots. There was 1 provision ballot cast in Williamson, 2 Absentee by Mail votes in the Zebulon City Council District 1 Post 2 race, and 1 Absentee by Mail ballot in the Zebulon City Council District 2 Post 2 race.
In the Zebulon District 1 Post 2 seat currently held by David Woods, the final numbers are as follows:
Claude Hollis received 23 votes and 52.27% of the vote.
David Woods received 21 votes and 27.73% of the vote. *He gained 2 Absentee by Mail votes.
Claude Hollis is the unofficial winner of this race by 2 votes.
In the special election to fill the expired term of Zebulon District 2 Post 2 (since Joe Walter resigned to run for mayor), the final numbers are as follows:
Mike Beres received 28 votes and 44.44% of the vote. *He gained 1 Absentee by Mail vote.
Anthony (Mark) Nalls received 34 votes and 53.97% of the vote.
Mark Nalls is the unofficial winner of this race by 6 votes.
In the Williamson City Council 3 seat, the final numbers are as follows:
John Brown received 47 votes.
Donna Scoggins received 29 votes. *She gained a Provisional vote.
John Brown is the winner of this race by 18 votes.
The numbers in Concord remained the same.
Thank you to everyone who made your voice heard at the ballot box. Voting for local representation is a way that we have a definite say in how legislation is passed and decisions are made that directly influence our lives in our cities and county.
Thank you to everyone who threw your hat into the ring to run for office! And never let anyone tell you that your vote doesn't count. Several of these races (including a liquor by the drink referendum) were won by just a handful of votes.
Election Night Results: Unofficial and Incomplete
ZEBULON - These are the Official and complete results from November 5, 2019 election. We have had some printer issues tonight and things ran later than expected, but IT fixed the technical issues and got everything going again. Overall, the Election Board seemed to work like the old way of doing things.
There were a few glitches, but this was the first election under the new Election Board, and there will be another election to work out the kinks before the presidential election cycle begins next year.
Zebulon
The office of Mayor will be on the November ballot. Bobby Blalock is the currently in this seat.
Joe Walter has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
The District 1 Post 2 seat is currently held by David Woods and will be on the November ballot.
David Woods received 19 votes.
Claude Hollis received 23 votes.
Claude Hollis is the unofficial winner of this race by 4 votes.
The District 2 Post 1 seat currently held by Dewey Yarbrough will be on the November ballot.
Dewey Yarbrough has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
There will be a special election to fill the expired term of District 2 Post 2 in November. Joe Walter is resigning from his current post to run for mayor.
Mike Beres received 27 votes.
Anthony (Mark) Nalls received 34 votes.
Anthony Nalls is the unofficial winner of this race by 7 votes.
This is complete.
Concord
The City Council Seat Post 3 is currently held by Josh Caldwell and will be on the November ballot.
Josh Caldwell has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
City Council Seat Post 4 is currently held by Subrenna Weathers and will be on the November ballot.
Subrenna Weathers has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
City Council Seat Post 5 is currently held by Rick Calhoun and will be on the November ballot.
Rictor Calhoun has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
The City will have the following referendum on the ballot for the November 5 election. It will be a simple yes or no vote that reads: “Shall the governing authority of the City of Concord, Georgia, be authorized to issue licenses to sell distilled spirits for beverage purposes by the drink, such sales to be for consumption only on the premises?”
The final results of this referendum are:
Yes - 18.
No - 13.
Liquor by the drink passed by 5 votes.
This is complete.
Molena
The office of Mayor will be on the November ballot. George Ingram is the currently in this seat. Joyce Corley qualified to run for this seat and is unopposed.
The Post 1 seat is currently vacant and will be on the November ballot. Jennifer Riggins qualified to run for this seat and is unopposed.
The Post 2 seat is currently held by Damon Riggins and will be on the November ballot. Damon Riggins qualified to run for this seat and is unopposed.
The Post 3 seat was held by Joyce Corley and will remain vacant until the Special Election in February since she has qualified to run as Mayor.
These were uncontested so there was no election today.
This is complete.
Williamson
The office of Mayor will be on the November ballot. Steve Fry is the currently in this seat.
Steve Fry has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
City Council 1 is currently held by Stephen Levin and will be on the November ballot.
Stephen Levin has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
City Council 3 is currently vacant and will be on the November ballot.
Donna Scoggins and John Brown qualified to run for this seat and will be on the November ballot.
John Brown received 47 votes.
Donna Scoggins received 28 votes.
John Brown is the winner of this race by 19 votes.
City Council 4 is currently held by Carol Berry and will be on the November ballot.
Carol Berry has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
City Council 5 is currently held by Brenda Bennett and will be on the November ballot.
Brenda Bennett has qualified to run for this seat and will be unopposed on the November ballot.
This is complete.
County Election Information
There will be a Special Election for Commissioner Tommy Powers District 3 Commission seat on November 5, 2019. Jason Proctor from Meansville, Robby Kendrick from Meansville, Jerome Finley from Zebulon, and Misty Meeks from Zebulon ran for this seat.
Jerome Finley received 111 votes and 34.91% of the vote.
Robby Kendrick received 21 votes and 6.60% of the vote.
Misty Meeks received 47 votes and 14.78% of the vote.
Jason Proctor received 139 votes and 43.71% of the vote.
Out of 3,192 registered voters, only 319 votes were cast. This is 9.99% turn out.
There will be a Runoff between Jason Proctor and Jerome Finley. The Runoff will be on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.
This is complete.
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