By Kristen Kitchens
Early voting for Georgia’s 2022 primary election kicked off on Monday, May 2, and will wrap up this Friday at 5:00 p.m. at the Coffee County Elections Office.
According to Coffee County Elections Office Supervisor Rachel Roberts, 1,002 locals had already cast their ballot in this year’s primary as of Monday afternoon.
Georgia voters are showing up to the polls in record numbers across the state, with Georgia State Secretary Brad Raffensperger announcing a 155% increase in turnout from the 2020 primary election.
The results in the primary election will also determine several local races, including the mayor of Broxton and the Ward 6 City Commission seat following Bob Moore’s resignation last year. Local candidates on the ballot include Broxton Mayor – Willie L. Jenkins Jr. and Jimmy D. Littleton; Broxton Council – Ronnie L. Graham Sr., Helen Jones, and Charlie R. Riley; City Commission Ward 6 – Latorya N. Edwards and Steve Bailey; Coffee County Board of Education District 1 – Leola Johnson (incumbent) and Michael A. Newton and Coffee County Commission District 3 – A.J. Dovers (incumbent) and Michael W. Kubeck.
Superior Court Judges Dwayne Gillis and Jeff Kight, BOE council members Bryan Preston Jr. and Jesse Jowers, District 1 County Commissioner Oscar Paulk, and Coffee County Solicitor Katherine (Katy) Paulk are all up for re-election but running unopposed.
A new district attorney for the Waycross Judicial Circuit will be elected next week, with Assistant District Attorney Ian Sansot of Coffee County running head-to-head against Assistant District Attorney Marilyn Bennett of Pierce County for the position. The Waycross Judicial Circuit serves counties including Coffee, Bacon, Brantley, Charlton, Pierce, and Ware.
Election Day is next Tuesday, May 24, with polling places open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.