Low turn-out for elections in Colquitt County continues

Adelia Ladson, The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
·2 min read

May 22—MOULTRIE — Tuesday's general primary/non-partisan election saw low turn-out with 14.63% of registered Colquitt County voters casting ballots on election day, during early voting and absentee by mail.

The presidential primary in March brought out 14% of the 24,817 registered voters at the time.

There were five local races that elected brand new officials including clerk of Superior Court, three board of education members and the state court solicitor.

In the clerk of Superior Court race, Donna Wilson, with 1,888 votes, won over Jessica Boyd, who received 1,004 votes.

In the Board of Education District 2 race, Brad Gregory received 303 votes to barely overturn incumbent Jon Schwalls, who received 285 votes.

In the Board of Education District 3 race, Matthew Clifton, with 621 votes, won over Keith Adams, who received 339 votes.

In the Board of Education District 6 race, Beth Cannon ran unopposed.

In the State Court solicitor race, Mickey Waller also ran unopposed.

Democrat Ernest Jones will run against Sheriff Rod Howell in November. Both ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary.

In all other Colquitt County offices, incumbents ran unopposed. That includes partisan races for tax commissioner, coroner and county commissioners for Districts 2, 4 and 6 as well as non-partisan races for probate judge and judge of State Court.

In the Superior Court judgeship open in the Southern Judicial Circuit that was vacated by Judge Richard M. Cowart, Colquitt County chose William Whitesell, with 1,882 votes, over Jeremy Baker, who received 1,529. With 153 counties reporting, at this time, Whitesell is the presumptive winner with 11,798 votes over Baker's 9,913 votes.

At the state level, Rep. Chas Cannon and Sen. Sam Watson ran unopposed for the Republican Party nomination and face no opposition in November.

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott was also nominated without opposition, but he'll face Democrat Darrius Butler in November. Butler won Colquitt County 400 votes to Vince Watkins' 107. Across the 29-county district, Butler had 15,186 votes to Watkins' 5,882 as of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, when 96.55% of the counties had reported in, according to the Secretary of State's website.