Polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as Georgians vote in local, statewide primaries
Election Day is here. While statewide primaries — including battles for U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general nominations — have dominated headlines, there are several local races for voters to decide today.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 31 election day precincts in Bibb County. To find your election day polling place, visit maconbibb.us/where-to-vote or log on to the secretary of state’s My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
In Macon-Bibb County, there are two contested Macon Water Authority races; one to replace Sam Hart, who did not seek re-election, as MWA chairman and one for District 1. The MWA provides water and sewer services for Bibb County and, in January, began charging a new fee to update its stormwater system.
The MWA races are nonpartisan.
The three candidates seeking to replace Hart are Gary Bechtel, Desmond Brown and Tom Ellington.
Bechtel is a real estate salesman who previously served on the Bibb County Commission, school board and water authority.
The authority hired former district attorney David Cooke in December to investigate Brown’s actions in billing the MWA for more than $40,000 on behalf of a client of his disaster mitigation company, the Center for Collaborative Journalism’s Liz Fabian reported earlier this year.
Brown accused the authority of conducting a “witch hunt” to get rid of him. When Brown qualified for the chairman position, he effectively vacated his District 2 seat, ending the MWA investigation.
Ellington is a professor of political science at Wesleyan College and previously served on the Macon City Council.
In District 1, incumbent Anissa Jones is running against Eleanor Welch.
Of the three state senate districts that represent Bibb County, only District 25 has a contested primary. Rick Jeffares, Leland Olinger II, Daniela Sullivan-Marzahl and Ricky Williams are running in the Republican Primary to replace Burt Jones, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Diane Vann filed to challenge State Senate District 18 incumbent Sen. John Kennedy. But last Saturday, Administrative Law Judge Lisa Boggs ruled Vann is not qualified to run because her home on Commanche Drive in north Macon is no longer in District 18, according to reporting by the CCJ’s Liz Fabian.
A ruling from the Secretary of State’s Office was still pending Monday morning, but votes cast for Vann will not likely count.
The only contested state house race for a district representing Bibb County is in District 144, where Jayson Stonne is challenging incumbent Dale Washburn in the Republican primary. The winner will take on Democrat Nettie B. Conner in November.
HOUSTON COUNTY
In Houston County, Shane Gottwals, Zachary Ivester and Steve Williams are running for county commissioner Post 2.
For Post 4, Jackie Rozier and Tal Talton are running to replace Dan Perdue, who is running unopposed as county commission chairman.
There are two contested county board of education seats. For District 2, Yolanda Franklin is running against incumbent Lori Johnson.
In the District 6 at-large position, four candidates are running: Tim Baggerly, Jarett F. Davis, Jeremy Fermin and Mark Ivory.
MIDDLE GEORGIA
Here are the contested local races across Middle Georgia:
Jones County School Board
Ginger D. Bailey
Brady Skinner
Max Wood
Monroe County Commission, District 4
George Emami
Travis Daniel
Peach County Commission, District 2
Shanita Bryant (incumbent)
LaShonda Mathis
This story was originally published May 24, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
