Emotions ran high as Tony Paulk was declared the winner of the race for mayor in the Douglas municipal election November 3. Supporters, campaigners, and family members cheered and celebrated inside and outside the Coffee County Election’s Office.
Paulk replaces James Dennis as the Mayor of Douglas after winning 53% of the votes, 1633 to 1432. It was a close race, but as Tony Paulk stated not long after learning he had won, “With God and family, the sky is the limit.”
Over 3,000 of Coffee County’s 5692 registered voters voted in the election. The election included not only the City of Douglas Mayoral election but also the Broxton Mayoral election, the Broxton Commission election, and the City of Douglas Commission election.
Incumbent Darquitta Riley retained her seat as Broxton mayor, easily defeating Willie L. Jenkins, Jr. by 227 to 23 votes. The City of Broxton Commissioners that won are incumbents Amy Cato-Kell, Ronnie Graham, Sr., and George Wilkinson. Newcomer Coach Whidden, Jr., also won a seat as City of Broxton Commissioner. David Bradshaw was also running in the race, but did not make the cut.
City of Douglas Commissioners Olivia Pearson of Ward 3, Michael Gowen of Ward 4, and Cindy McNeil of Ward 5 were uncontested in their positions.
Richard Hutchinson, incumbent City Commissioner of Ward 1 and Mayor Pro Tem, was challenged for his position by Cheryl Cunningham and Johnnie Lee Roper, Sr.
Roper, a former city commissioner, defeated both Hutchinson and Cunningham for the position. He thanked his supporters and the voters that came out and voted for him.
“If you see a turtle on a fencepost,” he said, “somebody put him there.” He explained that just like that turtle, he couldn’t have gotten to where he is without help and support from those around him. “I will be a commissioner to the people. I will be there when you need me.”
Roper received 285 votes, while Hutchinson won 95 votes and Cunningham gathered 47.
Incumbent Marty Swain was defeated by challenger Kentaiwon Durham for the seat of City Commission Ward 2. Durham won 71% of the vote with 363 votes, while Swain only won 141 votes.
Dawn Trimm-Jones challenged incumbent Bob Moore for the Ward 6 City Commission seat but did not succeed. Moore secured his spot on the commission by 81% of the vote at 504 votes, while Dawn Trimm-Jones won 103 votes.