Jefferson County qualifying closes with several contested positions

Parish Howard, Augusta Chronicle
·2 min read

Jefferson County voters will determine the results of three area races during the May 21 General Primary, coroner, District 2 County Commissioner and District 4 School Board Member. Voters will also narrow down the candidates in the November general election for Sheriff.

When qualifying closed last week there were two candidates qualified as Democrats for the position of County Coroner, incumbent Edward James and challenger Jerry Taylor. As there were no Republican candidates, this race will be determined in the primary.

Likewise, three candidates, incumbent Johnny Davis and challengers Machelle Lamb and Rodney McKinnie, qualified as Democrats for the Commissioner District 2 Commission seat. This race will also be determined in the May 21 primary.

Incumbent Julia Wells and challenger Corey Forrest both qualified for the District 4 Board of Education seat. School board positions are non-partisan and so will also be determined in May.

In the race for Sheriff of Jefferson County, incumbent Gary Hutchins qualified as a Democrat, as did Henry “Trey” Lewis and John Maynard. As Colby Harrell qualified to run for the sheriff’s position on the Republican ticket, he will face the winner of the primary race during the general election in November.

Incumbent County Commission Chairman Mitchell McGraw qualified as a Democrat for the seat he currently holds and so, this November, he will face Leonard “Lenny” Hobbs who qualified to run for this seat as a Republican.

Incumbent candidates who qualified without opposition are District 4 County Commissioner William Toulson (D) who has only held his seat a little over a year after filling the unexpired term of Commissioner Tommy New in January of 2023; Tax Commissioner Nancy McGraw (D); Solicitor General Dalton Dowdy (D); Clerk of Superior Court Anne Durden (D); Probate Judge Naquella Davis (D); State Court Judge John Murphy (non-partisan); Magistrate Court Judge Anita Thompson (non-partisan) and District 2 Board of Education Member Teresa Brooks.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Jefferson County qualifying closes with several contested positions