Decision time arrives for runoff elections

Voters will head to the polls next week to choose White County’s next probate judge and decide winners in state and congressional primaries.

The runoff election is set for Tuesday, Aug. 11. Voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at polling places throughout the county. In-person early voting, held at the White County Voter Registrar’s Office, concludes through Friday, Aug. 7.

The Republican primary runoff for probate judge includes longtime attorney Don Ferguson and former county manager, clerk of court and state senator Carol Jackson. As there will be no Democratic challenger in the general election, the winner will succeed current county Probate Judge Garrison Baker, who will retire at the end of his term.

A State House District 10 runoff will also be on the ballot between flooring business owner and former Habersham County commissioner Victor Anderson and Robert Crumley of White County, a political activist and sales manager for a sheet metal fabrication shop for classic cars. The winner of this Republican primary will head to the November general election to meet Nick Mitchell, chair of the White County Democratic Committee.

The District 10 seat has been held by Terry Rodgers (R-Clarkesville), who chose not to seek re-election.

Both Republican and Democratic primaries for U.S. House 9th District Congressional seat will be decided by a runoff. The winner will succeed Doug Collins (R-Gainesville), who is leaving the House to run for the U.S. Senate.

The Republican contest features gun store owner Andrew Clyde of Jefferson and state Rep. Matt Gurtler of Tiger, while actor and Army veteran Devin Pandy and business owner Brooke Siskin face off on the Democratic side.

The runoff elections are a result of no single candidate from a field of three or more in these races receiving enough votes to cross the 50% threshold in the June 9 primary elections.

Registered voters who did not cast a ballot in the primary can still vote in the runoff. However, those who chose a Republican or Democratic ballot in the primary will have to vote using the ballot of same party ballot in the runoff.

For voting information, including polling location and voter registration status, visit the My Voter Page on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website (www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do).