This online news website is owned and operated by Becky Watts. If you enjoy reading Pike County Times, consider buying an advertisement for your business or sending a donation to support the only free online newspaper in Pike County. Donations can be sent to: The Pike County Times, PO Box 843, Zebulon, Georgia 30295. Click here to donate through PayPal. Thanks for supporting Pike County's only free online newspaper!
By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - Qualifying began early this week and ended today. This is the beginning of an early election season here in Georgia. There are many seats open in Pike County, state, and federal government. The following is the final list of candidates who are running for office in Pike County.
Pike County Times will begin compiling information for voters today and throughout the election season in order for readers to make an educated decision before voting in the May and November elections. Candidates are encouraged to send a 500 WORD OR LESS press release that tells who they are, why they are running, contact or website information, and any other pertinent information to editor@pikecountytimes.com.
Pike County Elections
There are many offices that are open in this year’s election. County Commission Seat 1, currently held by Carol Bass, and County Commission Seat 2, currently held by Tamra Jarrett, are both up for election. These are four (4) year terms of office. Click here to view a map of the new districts courtesy of the Pike County Voter Registrar's Office.
County Commission Seat 1, currently held by Carol Bass. Commissioner Bass did not run for re-election.
Timothy Daniel from Zebulon, Mark Lennon from Zebulon, and Roosevelt Willis from Molena have all qualified under the Republican Ticket for the May election for the County Commission District 1 seat. There are no Democratic challengers. The winner of this race will be decided in the May 20 General Election.
County Commission Seat 2, currently held by Tamra Jarrett. Commissioner Jarrett did not run for re-election.
Peter Potter from Concord and Timothy Guy from Molena have both qualified under the Republican Ticket for the County Commission District 2 seat. There are no Democratic challengers. The winner of this race will be decided in the May 20 General Election.
Pike County Board of Education
There are several School Board seats that are open in this year’s election as well. School Board District 1, currently held by Gregory Ryan Edge, School Board District 2, currently held by Dr. William A. Bell, and School Board District 6, currently held by Rev. Fred D. Blackmon are all up for election. There will also be a special election to fill the District 4 Seat currently held by Charles “Charlie” Garrard. These are four (4) year terms of office with this exception of the District 4 seat which will run until the end of that current four (4) year term.
School Board District 1, currently held by Gregory Ryan Edge
Incumbent Gregory Ryan Edge will continue serving as the BOE District 1 representative with a new 4 year term of office that begins in January. He had no opposition in this election.
School Board District 2, currently held by Dr. William A. Bell
Allen David Edwards will begin serving as the BOE District 2 representative in January. He had no opposition in this race.
School Board District 6, currently held by Rev. Fred D. Blackmon
Incumbent Rev. Fred Blackmon from Concord will face a challenge from Edd Sanders, who is from Zebulon. The winner of this race will be decided in the May 20 General Election.
Special Election to fill the District 4 Seat currently held by Charles “Charlie” Garrard
Incumbent Charles "Charlie" Garrard will face a challenge from Robert E. Adams, Jr., who is also from Molena. The winner of this race will be decided in the May 20 General Election.
District Elections
State and federal races go through the Georgia Secretary of State's office which can be accessed at http://sos.ga.gov/
The State Senator District 16 seat currently held by Ronnie Chance (who is not running for re-election) is up for election and it is a two (2) year term of office.
As of 3.4.14 at 2 p.m. the following people have qualified for this seat. Attorney David J. Studdard from Fayetteville (Republican), Attorney James Clifton from Fayette County (Republican), Insurance Agent M.H. "Marty Harbin from Tyrone (Republican). No Democrats have qualified for this office.
The State Representative District 131 seat currently held by Johnnie Caldwell, Jr. is up for election. It is also a two (2) year term of office.
As of 3.4.14 at 2 p.m. Johnnie Caldwell, Jr. has qualified.
Superior Court Judge Christopher Edwards is up for re-election this year. This is a four (4) year term of office.
Statewide Elections
There are many statewide offices that are up for election this year: Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Labor, Public Service Commissioner District 1, and Public Service Commissioner District 4. With the exception of the two Public Service Commissioner seats which are six (6) year terms, all of the remaining offices are four (4) year terms of office.
There are non-partisan offices that will be filled during the May 20, 2014 election. There are three (3) seats on the Georgia Supreme Court that are open for six (6) year terms, and there are five (5) seats on the State Court of Appeals with six (6) year terms that are open this year as well.
[Note from the Editor: I am not going to update every single one of these offices but readers can check out the candidates and their websites by going to the Secretary of State's website.]
Federal Elections
The Third U.S. Congressional Seat currently held by Lynn Westmoreland will be up for re-election. It is for a two (2) year term of office.
As of 3.4.14: Only Lynn Westmoreland (Incumbent) has qualified for his office.
The U.S. Senator seat currently held by Saxby Chambliss (who is retiring and not running for re-election) will be on the ballot this year. It is for a six (6) year term of office.
[Note from the Editor: I am not going to update this but readers can check out the candidates and their websites by going to the Secretary of State's website.]
This information came from the Georgia Secretary of State’s website by clicking here. Election results all of the way back to 1988 can be found by clicking here.
Redistricting
The Board of Education Districts have already been redistricted according to the 2010 census. The Voter Registrar’s Office is in the process of finalizing the redistricting for county commission districts at this time. It was noted in the Board of Commissioners Meeting last night that the Georgia Legislature has approved the new maps and the Governor will be placing his signature on this legislation. The Voter Registrar confirmed by phone that this process will be finalized soon and new voter precinct cards will be going out in the mail as soon as the process is finalized.
Important Dates to Remember:
Voting by absentee ballot begins on April 4, 2014. The last day to register to vote is April 21, 2014. Advance voting begins on April 28, 2014. The Primary Election will be on May 20, 2014. A runoff, if needed, will be held on July 22, 2014.
The last day to register for the November 4, 2014 General Election is October 6, 2014. A runoff, if needed, will be held on January 6, 2015.
The Pike County Voter Registrar, Sandi Chamblin, is requesting that anyone who needs an absentee ballot--including those 75 years or older, disabled, in the military, or going to school or working out of state—to please come by the office at the Courthouse or call at 770-567-2003. Absentee ballot applications do not roll over from year to year. These applications are good for the entire 2014 election year. Click here to find out more about applying for an absentee ballot. Absentee voting begins on April 4, 2014.