Missed last night’s election results? Check Bibb, Houston County races here

Local voters made their voices heard Tuesday in races spanning water leadership, school boards and a sales tax measure. Here’s a quick rundown of who won, who’s headed to a runoff and what voters approved.

All voting data below is from the Georgia Secretary of State and is unofficial until certified.

• Incumbent Gary Bechtel won re-election as Macon Water Authority chairman with about 55% of the vote, beating challenger Desmond Brown, who got nearly 45%. Betchel campaigned on keeping rates reasonable and ensuring safe, clean water.
• The MWA District 2 commissioner race is heading to a June 16 runoff between Marshall Talley, who wants a “hard-no stance” on data centers that could strain water supply, and Ron Lemon, a chiropractor who says his business background will help the board run efficiently.
• Frank Patterson, an MWA board member since 2004, was re-elected District 4 commissioner. He’s credited with rehabilitating two wastewater treatment facilities and forming a stormwater utility division.
• In Bibb County, newcomer Amy Morton won the at-large Post 7 school board seat with 56.7% of the vote, defeating Kerry Hatcher. Morton wants to protect teachers and reform district budget spending, and opposes property tax increases.
• Incumbent Lisa Garrett-Boyd held onto her Post 8 seat with 55.7% of the vote and beating out three challengers. A retired educator, she’s focused on reducing chronic absenteeism, boosting grade-level reading and expanding career pathways.
• In Houston County school board races, incumbent Lori Johnson won the District 2 seat over Courtney Drive with 69% of the vote, while Sheila Ashley took District 4 with 65%, unseating incumbent Jonathan Nichols. Ashley campaigned on special education advocacy and stronger bullying prevention.
• Incumbent Mark Ivory won the at-large Post 6 seat with 63% of the vote over Andy Thomas. Ivory wants to keep investing in Title I schools and the district’s new STEM and Career Academy.
• Houston County voters approved a 1% sales tax increase with about 61% voter support. The tax bumps the rate from 7% to 8% for five years, with proceeds going exclusively to reduce property taxes in the county and in Warner Robins, Perry and Centerville.

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.