For the third time in six years, Whitfield Superior Court Clerk Melica Kendrick has defeated Susan Miller in an election for the office, this time by a 2-1 margin.
Undeterred, Miller said Tuesday night she plans to run again in four years.
Unofficial results with all precincts reporting show that Kendrick, the six-year incumbent, received 66.88 percent of the vote (2,601) to business manager Miller’s 33.12 percent (1,288). The women were in Tuesday’s Republican Party runoff after neither received the more than 50 percent of the vote necessary in the primary. No Democrat qualified.
“I just really want to thank the people that did believe in me and (say) that I really appreciate their vote and their support, but I’m so glad it’s over,” Kendrick said.
Miller alleged the clerk’s office has been mismanaged and the budget handled poorly. She said the budget under Kendrick has increased significantly, a charge Kendrick denied. Officials in the accounting department for Whitfield County said the budget did increase but only because of a change in the budgeting process and not because the office is spending more. Miller said Kendrick does have control over some of the increase.
Miller thanked her supporters and local media for providing coverage of her campaign.
“It’s just obvious I didn’t do a good enough job getting my message out,” she said. “I’ll be back in four more years.”
Asked if the large margin of victory surprised her, Kendrick noted she had already won against Miller during the last election.
“And I did win then as well with the large margin, but I’m just glad it’s over,” Kendrick said.
In November 2008, Miller, running then as a Democrat, received 39.91 percent (10,459) while Kendrick got 60.06 percent (15,739). In a special election in July 2006, Miller finished third behind Kendrick and then acting clerk Ann Berry after Betty Nelson retired.
In the July 31 GOP primary this year, Kendrick garnered 48.87 percent of the vote, or 4,640 ballots, while Miller received 20.68 percent, or 1,964 votes. Also vying for the position were escrow closer Jessica Swinford and school teacher Jodi Stuckey. Swinford received 16.04 percent, or 1,523 votes, while 1,368 people, or 14.41 percent, cast votes for Stuckey.
Kendrick is set to begin her seventh year in office in January. She worked 15 years in the clerk’s office before moving to the top position.
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Melica Kendrick smiles at her daughter Lacey Hammontree as her family and friends cheer at her home on Tuesday night after Kendrick learned she was re-elected as Whitfield Superior Court Clerk. (Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen)
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