The citizens of District 1 will have a new Board of Education representative come January while the region-wide T-SPLOST passed in a fairly narrow decision. There will also be run-offs in several important state races, including the race for the Republican candidate for governor. The run-off will take place on July 24.
While Republican gubernatorial candidates Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are headed for a run-off later this month, voters decided their Democratic opposition on primary night. And the voters made history. Stacey Abrams defeated Stacey Evans Tuesday night to become the first African-American candidate – male or female – win a major-party primary in Georgia’s election for governor. Locally, Abrams defeated Evans soundly, 980-353.
There was one major local race on the primary ballot this election cycle: the bid for the District 1 school board seat. Leola Johnson held the seat after the BOE appointed her following the death of longtime representative Ronnie Johnson last year. She faced opposition from Tonya Wilkerson in what turned out to be a hotly contested election. Wilkerson won 549-409. Johnson, however, will serve until Dec. 31 of this year.
The region-wide T-SPLOST referendum generated some local attention as well. Most SPLOST referendums pass easily, at least in Coffee County. That held true for the T-SPLOST locally but not necessarily regionally. In Coffee County, the SPLOST passed 2,076 to 1,050. While the tax passed throughout the region, the tally was much closer – 20,016 yes to 16,651 no. Three counties – Lowndes, Echols, and Brantley – voted against it.
In the race for U.S. House of Representatives District 12, incumbent Republican Rick Allen easily defeated perennial challenger Eugene Yu 1,222 to 563. On the Democratic side, Francys Johnson received 410 votes to Robert Ingham’s 372 and Trent NeSmith’s 296.
Here are how the other elections ended up in Coffee County:
Governor
- Republican
- Casey Cagle – 807
- Eddie Hayes – 11
- Hunter Hill – 344
- Brian Kemp – 381
- Clay Tippins – 197
- Michael Williams – 134
- Democrat
- Stacey Abrams – 980
- Stacey Evans – 353
Lieutenant Governor
- Republican
- Geoff Duncan – 417
- Rick Jeffares – 609
- David Shafer – 634
- Democrat
- Sarah Amico – 476
- Triana James – 631
Secretary of State
- Republican
- Buzz Brockway – 196
- David Isle – 432
- Josh McKoon – 213
- Brad Raffensperger – 767
- Democrat
- John Barrow – 683
- Dee Dawkins-Haigler – 269
- Rakeim Hadley – 244
Insurance Commissioner
- Republican
- Jim Beck – 1,059
- Jay Florence – 230
- Tracy Jordan – 305
- Democrat
- Janice Laws – 769
- Cindy Zeldin – 297
State School Superintendent
- Republican
- John Barge – 456
- Richard Woods – 1,053
- Democrat
- Sid Chapman – 460
- Sam Mostellar – 234
- Tracy Jordan – 305
Labor Commissioner
- Republican
- M. Butler – 1,406
- Democrat
- Richard Keatley – 553
- Fred Quinn – 508
Public Service Commissioner District 3
- Republican
- C. Eaton – 1,374
- Democrat
- Lindy Miller – 619
- John Noel – 167
- Johnny White – 273
Public Service Commissioner District 5
- Republican
- John Hitchins – 758
- Tricia Pridemore – 848
- Democrat
- Dawn Randolph – 815
- Doug Stoner – 245
Appeals Court – Ellington Seat
- Ken Hodges – 2,088
- Ken Shigley — 532