Northeast Georgia voters back tax referendums, leadership change

Voters across Northeast Georgia turned out in steady numbers Tuesday, approving local sales tax referendums and deciding a series of county commission and board of education races across the region.

In Banks County, incumbent Commissioner Danny Maxwell secured the Republican nomination for District 1, defeating Wayne Mainor 62% to 38%, with all precincts reporting.

In the Banks County Board of Education Post 5 GOP race, incumbent Eli Cooper defeated challenger Vince Lehotsky 60% to 40%, according to complete unofficial results.

In neighboring Habersham County, Republican voters chose political newcomers in two commission contests.

In District 2, Shelley Tullis defeated Andrea Harper 58% (4,052 votes) to 42% (2,874 votes).

In District 3, Danny McClellon won both the Republican primary and a special election to fill the unexpired term of former Commissioner Jimmy Tench. McClellon received 57% of the vote (4,432) to Jason Smith’s 43% (3,371) in the special election. He won the primary by a similar margin, according to complete unofficial returns.

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State primary results

Northeast Georgia primary results

Regional tax measures receive broad support

Northeast Georgia voters overwhelmingly approved a series of sales tax measures funding education and infrastructure projects.

In Habersham County, the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) passed with 61% approval. White County voters approved their ESPLOST with 66% support. ESPLOST measures also passed in Hall, Franklin, and Stephens counties.

In Clarke County, voters approved a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST). The measure passed by a 12-point margin, 56% (14,239 votes) to 44% (11,171 votes).

Elsewhere, Oconee County’s SPLOST passed with 57% support, while voters in Barrow and Dawson counties also approved SPLOST packages.

Clarke mayoral runoff

Athens-Clarke County residents will have to wait a few more weeks to find out who will become the city’s next Mayor.

The successor to Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz won’t be determined for another four weeks, since candidates Tim Denson and Dexter Fisher are heading to a runoff.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Election Data Hub, Denson had nearly 38% of the vote compared to Fisher’s 27%. LaKeisha Gantt followed with nearly 22%, Mara Zuniga had nearly 12%, and Sharon Miller had just under 2%.

In the race for Clarke County Commission seats, incumbents Patrick Davenport and Tiffany Taylor won handily and retained their seats. Kimberly Bennet and Craig Topple are heading to a runoff in District 5, and Ed Tolley has taken the District 7 commission seat, which was vacated by outgoing Commissioner John Culpepper.

Incumbent District 9 Clarke County Commissioner Ovita Thornton will face off against challenger Tracy Smith.

Clarke County voters also approved a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST), with 56% voting in favor.

All results are unofficial until certified by county election offices.

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WUGA News contributed to this report