McCord knocks off Ellis in bid to become Bibb tax boss

In what was perhaps Bibb County’s most contentious election Tuesday, Wade McCord, the interim tax commissioner, fended off the challenge of former Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis.

It was the first run for office for McCord, 47, who took over the post last September.

McCord topped Ellis by a vote tally of 13,542 to 8,765, drawing 61 percent of the ballots cast.

Voters countywide, many with an aim to keep Ellis out of office, crossed party lines. Instead of voting as Republicans, they cast ballots for McCord in what was an all-Democrat race.

McCord, who has worked in the tax office for 21 years, campaigned on the promise of continuing to improve customer service and upgrading the office’s website.

When asked in recent weeks what he thought his chances would be against Ellis, a household name in Macon politics, McCord said, “I’ve got every confidence.”

After learning he had won the race at least unofficially late Tuesday, McCord acknowledged “the people who voted” and said he wanted to thank Ellis for “a clean race.”

“I’m glad he put the political process to work,” McCord said. “People had their say at the polls.”

He added, “Honestly, to be straight-forward with you, I am honored that 61 percent of the voters of Bibb County want me to continue being their tax commissioner.”

Ellis, who is 70 and was mayor from 1999 until 2007, had sought to return to government office after a decade-long hiatus.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Ellis, a self-described semi-retired consultant, said he hoped his name recognition would prove helpful.

“Especially (with) my core voters, people who have voted for me consistently over the years,” Ellis said. “I hope that they will pay attention to what I have done, not just because of my name but because of what I have accomplished.”

Late Thursday, as election results were slow to trickle in, Ellis met with a handful of supporters at a southside sports bar.

He sipped ice water and munched on fried fish. An NBA playoff game was on most of the televisions inside Overtyme Bar and Grill, a former Shoney’s near Pio Nono Avenue’s intersection with Eisenhower Parkway.

The county’s election board office, where votes were being tallied, is in a shopping center behind the eatery.

While Ellis snacked about 10 p.m., the tide turned in a race that had see-sawed within a few hundred votes in the early going.

Ellis, though, did not appear to be keeping track.

“To be honest with you, I would rather be home with my feet up watching this basketball game with my shorts and T-shirt on,” Ellis said.

Soon after that, McCord’s lead surged past 1,000 votes.

Someone there with Ellis noticed the results on a cellphone.

Ellis made his way for the exit.

With a campaign adviser at his side, Ellis, sporting the same black Calvin Klein lace-ups he had worn on election day in his unsuccessful bid to become mayor again in 2013, walked off into the night.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 10:40 PM with the headline "McCord knocks off Ellis in bid to become Bibb tax boss."