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Photo by Arnaud Jaegers
The Hart County Board of Elections and the Hart County Republican Party qualified local candidates last week in the lead up to the general primary election in May.
The primary will take place on May 21. With early voting beginning April 29.
The Sun sat down with Election Coordinator Robin Webb with the Hart County Board of Elections who reported good news for those wishing to cast their vote early.
“This year, we will have two locations for early primary voting,” Webb said. “Here on Cade St., and at the Reed Creek precinct.”
The addition of a second early voting precinct, gives voters in the county less of a drive.
“Reed Creek is our second largest precinct with approximately 3500 voters,” Webb said. “Our third largest precinct is right next door Shoal Creek which has over 2000 voters.”
Early voting will be held at Board of Election headquarters at 182 Cade St., Ste. C, in Hartwell and at the Reed Creek Family Life Center at 2011 Reed Creek School Rd. Early voting will take place Monday-Friday from April 29-May 17 from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Board of Elections will add two Saturday dates including May 4 and May 11
Webb says lack of space contributed to adding a second precinct location for early voting.
“We just don’t have a lot of room in here (at the Cade St. location),” Webb said. Right now, I have twelve voting units set up. If you get a 19 inch ballot front and back people are going to stand there and you’ll get a bottle neck.”
Webb said the current Reed Creek precinct is leased by Hart County, meaning there is no expense in leasing the facility to hold early voting.
Regarding the candidates, many of Hart County’s municipal positions will be finalized through the May election on the Republican primary ballot.
The most contested race in 2024 is for the county commissioner post in district five. Incumbent Joey Dorsey, who has served his district for the past 24 years, has drawn two contestants in the GOP primary including Jeff Adams and Scott Mabry.
In District Three, county commission chairman Marshall Sayer will run unopposed, while District One commissioner Michael Bennett will face off against Democrat R.C. Oglesby in the Nov. 5 general election setting up a rematch of the race four years ago.
In a 2021 runoff election, Bennett defeated the incumbent Oglesby to win the seat.
The Sun reported Bennett took 892 votes out of 1,725 cast in the District 1 race to beat Oglesby, who took 833 votes. The District One seat had been empty since Oglesby voluntarily suspended himself in November 2019 as a condition of his bond following an arrest and subsequent indictment for allegedly operating an organized crime scheme.
Following his loss, Oglesby ran for Hartwell City Council in 2021 where he lost to current councilman Tray Hicks.
Oglesby currently faces an indictment in Hart County Superior Court of violating the RICO Act along with several of his family members.
The Hart County Board of Education will have three seats up for grabs this election season. Board Chairwoman Kim Pierce in District Three will face-off against Tammy Fazio in the May Republican primary.
In District One, Democratic incumbent Lonnie Robinson qualified for re-election and will run unopposed. District Five Republican incumbent Dennis Dowell will also run unopposed.
Other Republican’s running unopposed for office include:
• State Representative Alan Powell
• Clerk of Superior Court Frankie Gray
• County Surveyor Dean Teasley
• County Coroner Michael Adams
• Tax Commissioner Karen Martin
In the race for sheriff, two are vying to replace retiring Sheriff Mike Cleveland. Republican Chris Carroll, a captain with the Hart County Sheriff’s Office will take on former sheriff’s deputy Tracy Mize, who is running as an independent.
Turning to the courthouse, Republican David Jordan has qualified for district attorney. Jordan will square off against incumbent Parks White in the November general election.
Several non-partisan races for the judiciary will also take place this May.
Two candidates qualified for Hart County’s Chief Magistrate Judge. Incumbent Thomas Jordan will take on Wayne Hinson. Jordan was first elected to the position in a special election in April 2013, following the death of Judge Tony Welborn. Jordan won re-election to a full four-year term in the nonpartisan general election on May 24, 2016.
Probate court judge Merry Kirk, and superior court judge J. Christopher NeSmith will both run unopposed.
In Bowersville, Webb canceled the Special Municipal Election for the race to fulfill the unexpired term of post two councilwoman Jan Dean. Deanna Scharzmann qualified for the post and was running unopposed.
Webb estimated the May primary would see approximately 12,000 voters cast a ballot which is around 75% of the electorate.
Non-registered voters have until April 22, 2024 to register to vote in the special primary election, and voters will have three ways to vote up until Election Day: Election Day, early voting, and absentee by mail.
Webb says the Board of Elections is currently accepting applications for absentee ballots and the last day to request a ballot is May 10.
“If you received one (an absentee ballot) last year, it doesn’t mean you’ll get one this year,” Webb stressed. “People have to request and absentee ballot for each election.”
Election Day voting runs 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on May 21 at six locations across the county. Those Election Day precincts include:
• Hartwell First Methodist Church Gym; 151 S. Webb St.
• Goldmine Church of God Fellowship Hall; 6970 Royston Hwy.
• Cokesbury Methodist Church; 2207 Cokesbury Hwy.
• Reed Creek Family Life Center; 2011 Reed Creek School Rd.
• Bowersville Community Center; 1118 W Main St., Bowersville.
• Bio Baptist Church; 2595 Bio Baptist Church Rd.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has a voter page where citizens can check and update registration, find their correct polling location, view sample ballots, see elected officials, and request an absentee ballot.
For more on personal voter information, please visit: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s.