A guide to Bibb, Houston County candidates on the ballot this Election Day

Bibb and Houston County voters will soon decide several contested local races, from the Macon Water Authority to two school boards.

Election Day is May 19. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. — anyone in line by 7 p.m. is entitled to cast their ballot.

Georgia voters can check their polling location at the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page portal. Make sure to bring a form of identification with you, like a driver’s license, passport or even student ID.

Here’s a quick look at the local candidates and the priorities they say they’ll bring to office if elected. If you want to read more about the candidates, click on The Telegraph stories included in each section.

Macon Water Authority

Bibb County voters face three contested Macon Water Authority races this primary. Elaine Lucas, who holds the District 1 seat, is running unopposed.

Chairman

Gary Betchel (incumbent): Betchel, who works in commercial real estate, says voters can trust him “to do the things necessary to maintain our system to have reasonable rates” and to support economic development in Macon-Bibb. His campaign materials emphasize keeping costs down and ensuring water remains safe and clean.

Desmond Brown: Brown previously held the District 2 seat and left in March to run for chairman. His campaign materials say he wants to ensure tax dollars are “properly spent,” reduce stormwater drainage consumption, eliminate sewage overflows and make the billing system “more customer-friendly.” Brown has faced multiple ethics violations, according to local media reports.

District 2

Ron Lemon: Lemon, a chiropractor, says his business experience gives him the “skills necessary to help the board run smoothly and efficiently.” He pledges to keep the authority “responsive to consumers’ needs” and water affordable and safe. “I’ll bring common sense and no drama to the board,” he said.

Sharif Robbins-Brinson: A student at the University of North Georgia, Robbins-Brinson wants stronger water testing, higher safety benchmarks and greater transparency so “every resident knows what is in their water.” He also wants to modernize infrastructure and ensure equity for clean water across the district.

Renoalda Scott: Scott, a property manager, wants clean and reliable water at fair rates, and says the board must invest responsibly in infrastructure before problems arise. “... I am running to serve the community, not special interests,” she said.

Marshall Talley: Talley, a program director and entrepreneur, has focused his campaign on data centers, which consume large amounts of water for cooling. “If a project cannot show that it will protect drinking water reliability and avoid transferring risk to existing customers, it should not move forward,” his campaign website says.

District 4

Frank Patterson (incumbent): Patterson, the longest-tenured MWA member, has represented District 4 since 2004. During his tenure, he helped form a stormwater utility division, rehabilitated two wastewater treatment facilities and identified pipe “hot spots” for repair across Macon, according to the MWA.

Michael McKeever: McKeever, a program manager, wants to replace outdated pipes to “prevent flooding that we see with rainstorms.” He also wants water quality that goes “above and beyond” mandated standards and monthly public financial reports.

De’Ron Rogers: Owner of Pinky Shaved Ice, Rogers wants to “keep water rates as low as possible” while focusing on infrastructure replacement. She says fresh eyes can help the board. “It’s just time for a change,” she said.

Houston County Board of Education

Houston County voters will decide three school board seats. All three incumbents are seeking re-election.

District 2

Lori Johnson (incumbent): A former teacher and speech therapist who has served on the board since 2015, Johnson lists school safety, academic success and responsible financial management as her top priorities. She wants students prepared for higher education or the workforce and supports disciplined budgeting.

Courtney Driver: Driver, a parent and PTO volunteer who works for an estate planning firm, is focused on transparency, parent engagement and teacher support. She wants to improve teacher retention, protect instructional and planning time, and create a parent advisory committee.

District 4

Jonathan Nichols (incumbent): First elected in 2022, Nichols is campaigning on protecting “legacy schools” like Warner Robins and Northside high schools, strengthening student safety and preserving fiscal stability. “To be able to protect and take care of our children is far and above the most important thing on my mind,” he said.

Sheila Ashley: A pastor and special education advocate, Ashley is centering her campaign on students with disabilities, bullying prevention and equitable resource distribution. She wants to ensure students receive support outlined in their Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans. “Families should not have to fight to be heard,” she said.

District 6 At-Large

Mark Ivory (incumbent): An Army veteran on the board since 2022, Ivory wants to continue work on the district’s STEM and Career Academy and use E-SPLOST funds to invest in Title I schools, including gym improvements at Northside and Warner Robins middle schools.

Andy Thomas: Thomas, a longtime State Farm agent, wants to keep the school system “elite” and ensure students keep pace with technology advances. He also emphasizes maintaining strong ties with Robins Air Force Base. Thomas said he plans to donate any school board stipend back to the school system.

Bibb County Board of Education

Six candidates are running for two at-large Bibb County school board seats. Post 7 is being vacated by Daryl Morton after his third and final term. Post 8 incumbent Lisa Garrett-Boyd is seeking a third term. This election comes as the district works to address a reported $5.5 million budget shortfall.

At-Large Post 7

Kerry Hatcher: A Macon resident and Alexander II Magnet School parent, Hatcher wants “radical transparency,” better two-way communication with families, and solutions to teacher attrition, absenteeism and student safety. He has proposed “walking school buses” as a low-cost way to safely get students to schools lacking sidewalks.

Amy Morton: A family therapist and Macon native, Morton is running for the seat her husband, Daryl Morton, is vacating. She wants fiscal responsibility, property tax relief for seniors and stronger collaboration with parents, employers and faith leaders to tackle literacy gaps, absenteeism and career readiness. “The school system is infrastructure,” she said.

At-Large Post 8

Lisa Garrett-Boyd (incumbent): A retired educator with more than 30 years in the Bibb County School District, Garrett-Boyd wants to reduce chronic absenteeism, increase the number of students reading on grade level and expand career pathways. She points to unfunded state mandates as a key budget pressure and supports a central office staffing review and rezoning study.

Jonathan Fisher: A music minister and former paraprofessional at VIP Academy, Fisher wants transparent spending, higher pay for teachers, more administrator involvement in classrooms and accountability for student achievement.

Carlos McCloud: The Middle Georgia Regional Commission executive board member, McCloud says his priorities are improving student test scores, stakeholder involvement and fiscal transparency.

Nola McFadden: In a video posted to Facebook, McFadden said she’s concerned about students performing below grade level and teacher attrition. She said she’d “advocate for competitive teacher salaries to attract and retain the best educators” and promote accountability and transparency.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by Telegraph journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by Telegraph journalists.