Tuesday's elections in McDuffie County brought closure to some, a runoff to others and sent more than 41 percent of the county's registered voters to the polls.
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Jane Guerrant casts her votes Tuesday at the Depot.
Photo by Jim Wallace
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"We didn't think it was go-ing to be that great because we had such a high absentee num-ber," said Elections Superintendent Tiffany Neal, adding that more than 200 people voted via absentee. "They came out in record numbers and actually voted."
In the hotly contested race for Toombs Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge, Hal Hinesley and Jimmy Plunkett will face each other in an Aug. 10 runoff. Wednesday morning, representatives for both candidates said they were gearing up fro the next three weeks.
"We appreciate the support that the citizens of the Toombs circuit have shown us, and we are going to continue the type of campaign that we have run to this point," said Mr. Plunkett's campaign manager, Frank Locklear. "We would look to continued support from our constituents as we go into the runoff in three weeks."
"We certainly have all of our supporters motivated. It's a situation that was not entirely unexpected," said Mr. Hinesley's campaign manager Dennis O'Shields. "Our supporters are strongly motivated to press for-ward, and we expect everyone to work as hard, if not harder than they did in the first election."
With 90 percent of the pre-cincts reporting in Tuesday's vote, Mr. Hinesley garnered 5,919 votes (44.4 percent), while Mr. Plunkett received 4,462 votes (33.5 percent) and Britt Hammond received 2,936 votes (22 percent). The Toombs district covers six counties: McDuffie, Warren, Wilkes, Glascock, Taliaferro and Lincoln.
Also on Tuesday's ballot, incumbent Bob Farr won the Republican primary for County Commission, seat 2A. Now, Mr. Farr will run unopposed in the general election.
"I'm just real proud that the voters had confidence in re-elect-ing me," Mr. Farr said. "I'll just do what is supposed to be done and all that should be."
Meanwhile, in the Republican primary race for tax commission-er, incumbent Sandra Whitaker bested challenger Mike Dunn 1557-920. Mrs. Whitaker will now face Phyllis Wheeler in the general election. That doesn't quell her enthusiasm for the upcoming race though.
"I just feel like I have a lot of prayers this time from people and a lot of support, and I hope I will continue with their support and gain some more," Mrs. Whitaker said. "Then we'll just face Phyllis Wheeler in the general election.
That doesnıt quell her enthusiasm for the upcoming race though.
"I just feel like I have a lot of prayers this time from people and a lot of support, and I hope I will continue with their support and gain some more," Mrs. Whitaker said. "Then weıll just be continuing on up here with our training and dedication, and my ladies will keep doing a great job as they have been doing."
Also in state election news, for-mer Columbia County Commission Chairman Jim Whitehead won the Republican primary in the race for Georgia State Senate District 24, besting incumbent Joey Brush. While Sen. Brush carried McDuffie County (1,324 votes to Mr. Whiteheadıs 1,133 votes), Mr. Whitehead rode a 60 percent-40 percent split in Columbia County to victory. Mr. Whitehead will now face Demo-crat Chuck Pardue in November.
Local Public Service Com-mission Candidate Roger Dozier fell well short of in-cumbent commissioner Robert B. Baker, Jr., in the race for the District 2 eastern seat. Mr. Dozier won his home county, 1236-1048, but lost the statewide vote by more than 300,000 votes.
