District 50 State Senate candidate Stacy Hall wants the local election boards in the eight counties in the district to review their vote totals to “make sure every vote is counted.”
Unofficial results from Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff show Bo Hatchett defeated Hall by 34 votes.
“Given the very few votes that separate my opponent and me, we believe the most prudent thing is to canvass the boards of elections in each county to ensure that every vote has been counted,” says Hall in an announcement on his campaign Facebook page. He went on to say, “It has been a hard fought campaign and we look forward to confirming the results of the election as soon as that’s possible.”
Hall won seven of the eight counties in the district but lost his home county of Habersham by a wide margin – 4,470 votes (63%) to 2,598 (37%). Hall, who currently serves as the Habersham County Commission chair, says “we owe it to the process and the voters to make sure every vote is counted.”
Districtwide election results show Hatchett edged out Hall in the runoff, receiving 12,482 votes (50.07%) to Hall’s 12,448 votes (49.93%).
Recounts may be called in elections where there is less than a percentage point difference.
Hatchett, a Cornelia attorney and businessman, says he’s grateful to everyone who supported him.
“I would like to thank my supporters and volunteers. I appreciate their hard work and commitment. This was a highly competitive race and we feel good about where we are right now,” he says. “We believe people in each election commission office will do their due diligence and make sure every vote is counted and we are hopeful at the end of the day we will be victorious.”
Hatchett, who grew up in Habersham County, says it was “extremely humbling” to see how his home county turned out for him. This is his first bid for political office. Hall, a real estate developer from Mt. Airy, currently serves as chair of the Habersham County Commission. The two are vying to succeed outgoing Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) who chose not to run for re-election in order to run for Congress. The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Rabun County Democrat Dee Daley in November.
District 50 covers all or portions of eight Northeast Georgia counties including Banks, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Jackson, Rabun, Stephens, and Towns.
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