Tuesday primary races and other elections

Charles Oliver

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel predicts statewide turnout for Tuesday's primary election will be just 30 percent.

Whitfield County registrar Kay Staten says last week’s advance voting numbers were down significantly from four years ago: 630 vs. about 900 in 2004. Approximately 500 voted last week in Murray County during advance voting.

Those who do go to the polls will face a number of choices in both Whitfield and Murray counties.

Whitfield County.

• Board of Commissioners chairman (current chairman Brian Anderson is not seeking re-election): Republican Mike Babb

• Board of Commissioners District 2 (current commissioner Leo Whaley is not seeking re-election): Republican Harold Brooker; Republican Karen Horne

• Board of Commissioners District 4: Republican Greg Jones (incumbent)

• Sheriff: Democrat Scott Chitwood (incumbent); Republican Claude Nix: Republican Paul Tipton

• School board District 1: Democrat Mitchell Hasty; Republican Thomas Barton; Republican Chuck Oliver (incumbent)

• School board District 3: Republican Gary Brock (incumbent)

• Probate Court judge (current judge Ray Broadrick is not seeking re-election): Republican Sheri Blevins; Republican Michael Raber; Republican Linda White

• Tax commissioner: Democrat Jim Miller; Republican Danny Sane (incumbent)

• Clerk of Superior Court: Democrat Susan Miller; Republican Melica Kendrick (incumbent)

• Coroner: Democrat Bobbie Dixon (incumbent)

• Surveyor: Republican Joseph Evans (incumbent)

Murray County

• Sole commissioner: Democrat Greg Hogan; Democrat Jim Welch (incumbent); Republican Ricky Pritchett; Republican David Ridley

• Sheriff: Democrat Howard Ensley (incumbent); Republican Benny Davenport; Republican Ken Smith

• School board District 1: Democrat James Ash; Democrat Ricky Mallett; Democrat Julius Weyman (incumbent)

• School board District 2 (incumbent Pat Hooker did not qualify): Democrat Davena Baxter-Baggett; Democrat Anthony Gallman; Republican Sam Bright; Republican Kay Leonard McCurdy

• School board District 3 (incumbent Fred Gibson did not qualify): Democrat Jerry E. Davis; Republican Becky Whaley

• School board District 4: Democrat Ray Keener; Republican Greg Shoemaker; Republican Billy Webb (incumbent)

• Probate Court judge: Democrat Dale Adams (incumbent)

• Tax commissioner: Democrat Charlotte H. Keener (incumbent)

• Clerk of Superior Court (current clerk Loreine Matthews is not seeking re-election): Democrat Annette Green; Democrat Tommy Parker; Democrat Connie Reed; Democrat Ron Wilson; Republican Rita Hawkins; Republican Nancy Young

• Coroner: Democrat Larry Ballew (incumbent)

Legislature

• House of Representatives District 3 (incumbent Republican Ron Forster did not qualify): Democrat Ralph Noble; Republican Robert D. “Bob” Jenkins; Republican Brad Scott; Republican Tom Weldon Jr.

• House of Representatives District 4: Republican Roger Williams (incumbent)

• House of Representatives District 5: Republican John Meadows (incumbent)

• House of Representatives District 6: Republican Tom Dickson (incumbent)

• Senate District 54: Republican Don Thomas (incumbent)

Conasauga Judicial Circuit

• District attorney: Republican Kermit McManus (incumbent)

Varnell

In Varnell, residents vote on two alcohol-related measures. They will be asked if they want to allow the sale of distilled spirits by the drink. They will also be asked if they want to allow the sale of alcohol by the drink on Sunday. The city already permits the sale of beer and wine by the drink.

Eton

In Eton, residents will vote in the following nonpartisan races:

• Mayor: Jimmy Bartley, Judy Bostic and Billy Cantrell

• City Council Post 1: Jeff Manis and Traci Rankin

Important information

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. But those in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. For a list of precincts, look under "local news" for Whitfield County or "Murray County' for that county, or search the archives using the word “precincts.”

Voters must bring one of the following six forms of ID:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired.

• Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by the county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services.

• Valid U.S. passport.

• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of the state

• Valid U.S. military photo ID.

• Valid tribal photo ID.