The campaign signs were staked in the yards months ago. There’s been constant talk about who will run the sheriff’s department and who will sit at the county commission table.
But the time for campaigning is over.
It’s the voters’ turn to speak.
The 2012 primary elections are set for Tuesday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Madison County’s 11 voting precincts.
And there’s plenty at stake, particularly on the Republican ballots. GOP voters will choose between incumbent sheriff Kip Thomas and challengers Brenan Baird and Clayton Lowe. They will pick between incumbent district attorney Bob Lavender and challenger Parks White. District 1 voters will pick either incumbent commissioner Stanley Thomas or his challenger Lee Parker. District 2 voters will tap incumbent commissioner Dewitt “Pete” Bond or challenger Larry Stewart to face Democrat Conolus Scott Jr. in the general election.
Republicans will also choose one of four candidates for coroner, who will face no opposition from Democrats in November: Kevin Cheek, Julie Phillips, John Sartain and Michael Tittle.
At the state and federal levels, GOP voters will choose between incumbent Frank Ginn and challenger Danny Yearwood for the District 47 state senator post. They’ll vote for Doug Collins, Roger D. Fitzpatrick or Martha Zoller for Georgia’s District 9 of the U.S. Congress. They’ll vote for incumbent Chuck Eaton or Matt Reid for one seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission and Pam Davidson or incumbent Stan Wise for another seat on that board.
On the Democratic side, voters will choose between William Kenneth White or Brent Zellner for the sheriff’s nomination, with the winner facing Thomas, Lowe or Baird in November.
Two county school board seats are also up for grabs in non-partisan races. Cedric Fortson and Cindy Nash are vying for the District 3 post, while Jeremy Duggins and Amy McKenzie are seeking the District 4 seat.
All voters will be asked for a “Yes” or “No” on a proposed one-cent sales tax to fund road projects in the region. If the tax is approved, Madison County will receive a projected $1.5 million annually for the county commission to use on local roads at its discretion. The county would also see turn lanes at Hwy. 29 and Hwy. 98 in Danielsville and the widening of Hwy. 72 east of Comer from two to four lanes.
Voters will also see other “Yes” or “No” questions. For instance, Democratic ballots include questions about allowing the state to override local school board decisions to create charter schools, ending the current practice of allowing unlimited gifts from lobbyists to state senators, allowing an income tax credit for home energy costs, and reducing sales taxes on “Made in Georgia” products.
Republican ballots will include questions on allowing casino gambling to fund education, ending unlimited gifts to state legislators by imposing a $100 cap on gifts, allowing active duty military personnel to obtain a Georgia weapons license, requiring citizens who wish to vote in a primary election to register with their political party at least 30 days prior to a primary election and changing the state constitution to provide that the “paramount right to life is vested in each innocent human being from his or her earliest biological beginning without regard to age, race, sex, health, function or condition of dependency.”
