Qualifying for the May 21 General Primary and Nonpartisan election took an unusual turn in Oconee County on the last day of qualifying on Friday when six candidates completed the required paperwork, one as a Democrat and five as Republicans.
Democratic Party Chair Harold Thompson said after qualifying ended at noon that one of the candidates who qualified as a Democrat on Friday as well as two who qualified as Democrats on Thursday were not recruited by the Democratic Party.
Three more Democrats qualified on Thursday at the Oconee County Office of Elections and Registration to run for county offices in the May 21 General Primary and Nonpartisan Election.
Reginald Wade qualified to run for Sheriff, and Laura King qualified to run for Clerk of Superior Court.
Kathryn Green qualified to run as a Democrat for Post 5 on the Oconee County Board of Education on Wednesday, and incumbent Watkinsville Post 5 Council Member Jeff Campbell qualified to run for re-election in the nonpartisan Watkinsville race.
Green’s name will appear on the Democratic ballot on May 21 in the General Primary and Nonpartisan Election, while Campbell’s name will appear on the ballot on Nov. 5 in the Watkinsville races.
Watkinsville Post 3 Council Member Brett Thomas was the only candidate to qualify at the Oconee County Office of Elections and Registration on Tuesday, the second day of qualifying.
Thomas joined Watkinsville Post 4 Council Member Christine Tucker, who qualified on Monday. Qualifying also is underway for Post 5, currently held by Jeff Campbell, but no one has qualified so far.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will hold a virtual Public Information Open House on March 22 to get reaction to its plan for a multi-grade intersection of Dials Mill Extension at SR 316.
According to the GDOT Project manager, the concept layout for an interchange at Dials Mill Extension is the only one that will be presented to the public at the Public Information Open House.
Oconee County’s four incumbent Constitutional Officers, the current Coroner, and the three sitting members of the Board of Commissioners up for re-election all qualified on Monday for the May 21 Primary and Nonpartisan election–so far without opposition.
In addition, incumbent Post 5 Board of Education Member Michael Ransom qualified for the Post 1 (Chair) position on the Board, Brock Toole qualified for Post 5 on the Board, and both Andrew Pippin and Russell Toms qualified for Post 4. All are running as Republicans.
Turnout picked up just slightly in the second week of in-person voting for the March 12 Presidential Primary.
A total of 711 voters cast their ballots in person last week, up from 606 the week before.
To date, the Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration also has received and accepted 95 absentee ballots, up only by 33 from the 62 returned and accepted at the end of last week.
