DeFore, Allen head to runoff in Macon-Bibb commission race

Two veteran politicians are headed to a runoff in the Macon-Bibb County Commission District 6 race.

Commissioner Ed DeFore and former Bibb County Commissioner Joe Allen will face off again July 26 after neither reached the necessary 50 percent of votes required to win outright Tuesday. DeFore, who has served on either the Macon City Council or Macon-Bibb County Commission since the early 1970s, received 1,225 votes, or 41 percent, while Allen earned 1,471 votes, or 49 percent, according to unofficial election results.

The third candidate, Don Druitt, trailed with just 306 votes, or 10 percent. This is DeFore’s second runoff in as many races. In 2013, he won a County Commission runoff against Adah Roberts.

“I’m going to speak with people in our district and find out what’s on their minds and what they would like to see,” DeFore said Tuesday night. “We have great citizens out here, and I’m going to give them what they want out here at the (Government Center).”

Allen spent 20 years on the Bibb County Commission before deciding not to run in the first election of a consolidated Macon and Bibb County in 2013. The retired firefighter said he will get ready for July’s runoff by going door-to-door to meet with residents.

“I’m very, very happy and very humbled by the people that voted for me,” Allen said. “I hope they come back out and give me one more chance and vote for me in July.”

Druitt said it was a good experience going up against two candidates who have more than a combined 60 years in office. Druitt said he’s backing Allen in the runoff.

“I knew it was going to be an uphill battle,” said Druitt, retired director of the Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency. “I’m encouraged that the voters in the district will try to support Joe.”

Schlesinger outpaces challenger in District 2

Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Larry Schlesinger won a fourth term in office Tuesday.

According to unofficial election results, Schlesinger carried 74 percent of the votes over Stanley Phillip Brown Jr.’s 26 percent for the District 2 seat. Schlesinger, a rabbi, has been in office since 2008 when he was elected to the Macon City Council.

Schlesinger received 1,407 votes to Brown’s 488. It was the second time the duo faced off in at the polls. Schlesinger said he’s grateful that voters have enough confidence in him representing them for the next four years.

“They put their trust in me, and I’m not going to betray it,” he said.

Bivins earns another term on commission

Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Bert Bivins easily won his District 5 race against political newcomer Leroy Jarrell, according to unofficial results.

Bivins outpaced Jarrell 2,077 votes to 559. Since 1995, Bivins has served as a county commissioner, first in Bibb County and now in the consolidated government.

Jarrell, a business owner and retired firefighter, congratulated Bivins on the victory. He said part of his mission in running for the seat was to make Bivins and others become more active in some of the issues that face residents.

“I think I’ve empowered myself and the community by making him aware of things that go on in the community,” Jarrell said.

Bivins has said he wants to about $40 million in blight money to be included in spending for Macon-Bibb’s next special purpose local option sales tax. Prior to election night, Bivins told The Telegraph he wanted to continue being part of a commission that’s worked well together since forming in 2014.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 12:22 AM with the headline "DeFore, Allen head to runoff in Macon-Bibb commission race."