Election Day 2014
Habersham County
Photos of Election Day 2014
High turnout, long lines mark local election
It was an election day to remember, as much for the lines as for anything else. Voters in Habersham County reported wait times at some polls in excess of two hours. Most of them waited, others did not. Out of Habersham County’s 19,274 registered voters 9,758 cast ballots.
You might not have known it looking at the lines but not all votes were cast Tuesday, in fact, most of them weren’t. Habersham County Elections Superintendent Laurel Ellison says 790 absentee ballots were distributed prior to the election and 5,463 people voted early. That means before the polls even opened Tuesday 31% of Habersham County’s registered voters had already cast ballots, well over half of the county’s overall voter turnout of 50.63%.
There likely will be more early voters during the next election.
While most voters took waiting in stride, catching up with old friends and neighbors they hadn’t seen in awhile, others grew weary and gave up. There were scattered reports of elderly voters leaving the polls and parents with kids to pick up having to choose between staying or going. Some left but later returned.
Sheena Adams of Clarkesville did that. After waiting in line for 45 minutes at the Habersham North Precinct at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesvile she was told it would be another hour and a half before she got to vote so she left to go home to tend to a sick child. “I’m just going to have to leave and try to come back, ” she said as she exited the polls. Adams’ 17-year old son Shawn was with her. Adams says she brings one of her three sons with her each time she votes “as part of the learning process.” Shawn learned on Tuesday he doesn’t like long lines but said he did enjoy the food he got from the concession stand at the Aquatic Center while waiting. He summed up his civics lesson at the polls as, “Long and boring.”
Alice Brookshire also went to the Aquatic Center to vote. She said she had to wait about an hour to cast her ballot. “It’s kind of crazy because they closed a bunch of the polls and just made it small, but everybody was pretty nice and got through it.” Brookshire said she was determined to vote for the SPLOST VI referendum. “My sister is married to a firefighter and the SPLOST means a lot when it comes to them.”
While issues and candidates drew many voters to the polls some said they came simply to engage in the process. Stephanie Frankum of Clarkesville said, “I think it’s my civic duty to vote and to let my opinion be known and counted.”
Habersham North Precinct Poll Manager Jo Owenby remained calm under pressure, politely answering questions and helping voters however she could. While Now Habersham was at the precinct a woman who had waited in line for nearly two hours found out she was at the wrong precinct. Owenby offered her a provisional ballot – one that is counted after voter registration is confirmed – and the woman voted without having to drive to her own precinct in Cornelia and start over in another line.
Owenby has been poll manager in Clarkesville for two years and said yesterday’s turnout was the biggest she’s seen so far. She said people were in line at the Habersham North Precinct thirty minutes before the polls opened at 7am and voting remained steady throughout the day. “We were hoping for this turnout but, personally, with me only doing it a couple of years, it was a little more than I even perceived, but we’re very glad and happy with that.” Owenby deftly navigated voters’ attitudes and needs from arranging assistance for elderly and disabled voters, to handling precinct mix-ups and diffusing sheer impatience. An hour and a half before the polls closed Owenby said it had been a hectic, but good day. “It’s been pretty smooth. For the most part everybody’s okay with it and understanding. Obviously, there’s always a few unhappy campers but we just try to accommodate them the best we can.”
Voters at the Habersham South Precinct at the Cornelia Depot had it even worse than those in Clarkesville. At the Depot they stood in line half inside, half out because of the small quarters. The Depot was cramped but the lines moved relatively quickly. Brady Hurt of Mt. Airy had to wait but said he was glad to see the turnout. Hurt added that it wasn’t the ballot but the voting process that drew him to the polls. “It’s a right I like to exercise. People fought for our freedom to vote and it’s our choice, so that’s what I want.” Tiffany Stephens of Cornelia echoed that sentiment. “If you don’t (vote) you’re not going to make a difference.”
Habersham County election officials are aware of the problems with long lines at the polls and say they are working to correct that. While lines were anticipated due to the consolidation of county precincts, no one yesterday expected them to be as long as they were. County Elections Superintendent Laurel Ellison says some election board members already have talked with county commissioners and she says, “I’m sure the elections board will discuss it the next time they meet.” Ellison says she still believes the consolidated precinct system can work but adds the key is to get more people to vote early. As for the limited space at the Cornelia Depot, Ellison says efforts already are underway to find a larger location. She says a new Habersham South Precinct may be in operation by next year’s municipal elections but definitely will be by the 2016 Presidential Election. She says the county is also exploring adding more voting machines to help speed up the voting process.
Ellison says, “I hate that people had to wait in long lines yesterday. I know that it can be better and it definitely will be better next time.”
Although the long lines may have been tough on voters and poll workers in Habersham it was good for business at the Aquatic Center. Thirsty and hungry voters filed past the center’s concession stand as they stood in line and kept concession worker Megan Loudermilk busy. “Business started a lot earlier than usual,” Loudermilk said. “It’s hectic but it’s good for business so, I guess it’s a good thing.”
There’s always a silver lining.
For more photos of Election Day 2014 in Habersham County click here.
HCHS Raiders win High 5 Trophy
The results are in and they have nothing to do with politics. The vote we’re talking about here is the vote for Team of the Week on Fox 5 Atlanta’s High 5 Sports segment. And the winner is…the Habersham Central Raiders!
The Raiders were named TOW today based on an online poll where they grabbed 9,871 votes. The Raiders’ closest contender in the 5-team poll was the Tucker Tigers who claimed 2,883 votes.
MOB MOM leader and team mother, Tamora Black, says Fox 5 will be at the Habersham Central High School gymnasium tomorrow for a huge pep rally starting at 8am. That’s when the news station will present the High 5 Team of the Week trophy to the football team. The presentation and rally will be broadcast live throughout the morning on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta.
HCHS Athletic Director Geep Cunningham says the pep rally will last until about 9:30am. He says winning the coveted High 5 Hand Trophy speaks volumes about the HCHS football team and Raider family:
Being named Fox 5 Team of the Week is a true testament to our Raider team. They have all worked extremely hard and overcome many obstacles in their path this season. It is a fitting reward and honor for all of these “Raiders” as we bring this 2014 season to an end. Congratulations and Go Raiders!!! ~ HCHS Athletic Director Geep Cunningham
The HCHS Raiders soared in the TOW poll as word got out the team had been nominated. They were nominated for their amazing win Friday night, Oct. 31, against the North Forsyth Raiders. Although the point spread was impressive, 32-7, the most impressive thing about Friday’s game was that the Raiders won; it was the team’s first win in two years. Even more impressive than that is the team spirit and tenacity that carried the Raiders through 107 weeks without a win.
If you want to watch the Raider celebration, be sure to tune in to Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta tomorrow morning beginning at 8:10am.
Results of the High 5 Team of the Week poll
Adairsville Tigers
Vote Totals: 141
Habersham Central Raiders
Vote Totals: 9871
Peachtree Ridge Lions
Vote Totals: 38
Tucker Tigers
Vote Totals: 2883
Whitewater Wildcats
Vote Totals: 75
Scammers target HEMC members
Habersham EMC has been notified that some members have received telephone calls stating their power would be disconnected immediately unless they provided a credit card number for payment.
“Members should hang up at once and call Habersham EMC,” cautions Susan Baker, Member Care Program Manager. “Customer resource managers can be reached at 706-754-2114, 706-865-4362 or 800-640-6812.”
Cornelia woman charged in fatal motorcycle wreck
A Cornelia woman is in jail charged with vehicular homicide in connection with the death of a Cornelia man.
The Georgia State Patrol says 64-year old Ruby Marie Marshall is charged in the death of 47-year old Jerald Freeman. Freeman was killed on Oct. 7 when he was thrown from his motorcycle after it ran off the road and down an embankment on Pea Ridge Road, less than two miles from his home.
Troopers say a Kia driven by Marshall allegedly crossed over the center line forcing Freeman’s motorcycle off the road. Troopers say Marshall left the scene without calling for help.
Marshall is charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, failure to maintain line, reckless driving and failure to stop at the scene of an accident.
First-degree vehicular homicide carries a minimum three-year prison sentence with a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Hall County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Deputy Nicole Bailes says Marshall was arrested by state troopers on Oct. 30 at a home in Dahlonega. She’s being held in the Hall County jail without bond. A bond hearing is set for tomorrow, Nov. 6.
GSP Trooper 1st Class G.R. Harper of the patrol post in Gainesville tells Now Habersham the State Patrol is not releasing details about what led to Marshall’s arrest out of concern it might hinder the investigation and legal proceedings.
Freeman disappeared while on his way home from Florida on Oct. 7. His brother, Joel Freeman of Demorest, found his body the next day.
Jerald Freeman was the owner of About Time Tree Service in Cornelia and also worked as a skydiving instructor in Atlanta. He was a 1985 graduate of Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy and a 1987 graduate of Truett McConnell College in Cleveland.
GOP sweeps Habersham
The GOP charge across the nation swept through Habersham County Tuesday as Republican candidates in several key state and federal races easily glided to victory. There were no contested local races on the ballot. Those were decided this past summer during primary season.
Unofficial results for Habersham County:
United States Senator, to succeed Saxby Chamblis
DAVID A. PERDUE (R) 78.96% 7,622
M. MICHELLE NUNN (D) 18.26% 1,763
AMANDA C. SWAFFORD (L) 2.78% 268
Total votes: 9,653
Governor
J. NATHAN DEAL(Incumbent)(R) 79.66% 7,656
JASON J. CARTER (D) 17.66% 1,697
ANDREW T. HUNT (L) 2.68% 258
Total votes: 9,611
Lieutenant Governor
L. S. ‘CASEY’ CAGLE (Incumbent)R 85.48% 8,150
CONNIE J. STOKES (D) 14.52% 1,384
Total: 9,534
Secretary Of State
BRIAN P. KEMP (Incumbent)(R) 84.50% 7,993
DOREEN CARTER (D) 15.50% 1,466
Total votes: 9,459
Attorney General
SAMUEL S. OLENS (Incumbent)(R) 83.79% 7,903
GREGORY K. ‘GREG’ HECHT(D) 16.21% 1,529
Total votes: 9,432
Commissioner Of Agriculture
GARY W. BLACK (Incumbent)(R) 83.40% 7,929
CHRISTOPHER JAMES IRVIN (D) 16.60% 1,578
Total votes: 9,507
Commissioner Of Insurance
RALPH T. HUDGENS (Incumbent)R 81.68% 7,718
ELIZABETH N. ‘LIZ’ JOHNSON (D) 14.72% 1,391
EDWARD T. ‘TED’ METZ (L) 3.60% 340
Total votes: 9,449
State School Superintendent
RICHARD L. WOODS (R) 82.45% 7,747
VALARIE D. WILSON(D) 17.55% 1,649
Total votes: 9,396
Commissioner Of Labor
J. MARK BUTLER(Incumbent)(R) 83.82% 7,843
ROBBIN K. SHIPP (D) 16.18% 1,514
Total votes: 9,357
Public Service Commission, District 4 – Northern
HERMAN D. ‘DOUG’ EVERETT (Incumbent)(R) 86.71% 7,860
JOHN H. MONDS (L) 13.29% 1,205
Total votes: 9,065
Public Service Commission, District 1 – Southern
LAUREN W. ‘BUBBA’ MCDONALD (Incumbent)(R) 78.71% 7,404
DANIEL A. BLACKMAN (D) 15.31% 1,440
ROBIN AARON GILMER (L) 5.98% 563
Total votes: 9,407
U.S. Representative, District 9
DOUGLAS A. ‘DOUG’ COLLINS (Incumbent)(R) 83.03% 7,889
DAVID D. VOGEL (D) 16.97% 1,612
Total votes: 9,501
State Senator, District 50
JOHN K. WILKINSON (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 8,408
State Representative, District 10
T. A. ‘TERRY’ ROGERS (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 6,397
State Representative, District 28
ROBERT D. ‘DAN’ GASAWAY (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 1,991
County Comm 2
ANDREA HARPER (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 8,151
County Comm 3
VICTOR ANDERSON (R)
Total votes: 8,204
BOE 3
RUSSELL NELSON (R)
Total votes: 8,083
BOE 4
RICK WILLIAMS (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 8,010
BOE 5
PATSY TAYLOR (Incumbent)(R)
Total votes: 8,016
Soil and Water Conservation
TRACY MORRIS FRADY
Total votes: 7,598
Life in Motion
“As I was leaving Ingles, I saw two men walking out of the store. One looked like Gov. Deal. I said, ‘Is that who I think it is?’ He turned around and introduced himself to me. It was my mom’s birthday and in memory of her, my husband and I were going to release a balloon. Gov Deal listened as I told him about the loss of my mom, and he shared his story of his parents. He understood my sorrow.”
– Dixie Moore, 2014
Alcohol referendums pass in Baldwin and Demorest
No more stocking up for the weekend in Baldwin and Demorest. Voters in both cities approved separate alcohol referendums Tuesday at the polls.
Baldwin voters approved the sale of liquor by the drink on Sundays. The measure passed 54% to 46% with total unofficial raw vote totals of 152 in favor to 127 against. Package sales of beer and wine will also now be allowed in Baldwin. Voters approved that measure by a 53% to 47% vote margin or 148 to 132 votes.
Demorest voters also approved Sunday package sales of beer and wine by the same margin, 53% to 47%. The raw vote total in Demorest was 211 in favor and 185 opposed.
Sunday package sales in Baldwin and Demorest will be allowed between the hours of 12:30 and 11:30pm.
SPLOST VI passes overwhelmingly
It took two tries, twelve months apart, but voters in Habersham County last night approved a one-cent special local option sales tax to help fund a wide range of county and city projects. Unofficial results show the SPLOST VI referendum passed by a 58% to 42% margin. Raw vote totals (with some provisional ballots not yet included) show 5,557 voters cast ballots in favor of SPLOST VI while 4,076 cast ballots against it.
It was a hard won victory for SPLOST VI suppporters. A similar measure was defeated at the polls in last year’s off-year election.
Throughout this election cycle supporters, led by the SPLOST VI Committee and Habersham County Chamber of Commerce, heavily promoted the issue through a series of nine town hall meetings and public forums. SPLOST VI Committee Chairman Wade Rhodes said early on in the process the referendum’s success hinged on two things: trust and voter turnout. SPLOST supporters got both Tuesday.
Many Habersham County voters, leery of how previous SPLOST funds were handled by elected officials, were convinced to support the measure this time by the creation of a SPLOST Oversight Committee. The committee, comprised of six members of the local community from a variety of backgrounds, will monitor SPLOST VI revenue intake and disbursements. The committee will report back to the community twice a year through local media about how much tax revenue is raised and where that money is spent. In the end, voter turnout turned out not to be much of a concern. With the draw of a governor’s race and a hotly-contested U.S. Senate race on the ballot Habersham County voters turned out at the polls in droves. Habersham County posted a 50.63% voter turnout with 9,758 of the county’s 19,274 registered voters casting ballots.
Tuesday’s vote means the local sales tax in Habersham County will rise from its current 6% to 7% – that’s an extra penny on each dollar you spend. The tax will remain in effect for six years. It’s projected to raise $37.5 million to pay for a variety of county and city projects including a 20% pay down on hospital debt, road construction and repair, bridge upgrades and repair, expansion of the Habersham County landfill, construction of a fire station in Turnerville, completion of the county’s industrial park in Baldwin, the purchase and repair of emergency vehicles and various other projects aimed at public health and safety and economic development.
Grabbing hold
One of my favorite stories of the Bible is the story of Esther, a young girl taken from her home to become a “contestant” per say for the role of Queen. Esther, a Jew, hides the fact that she is Jewish, uses a different name, and becomes Queen in a land that hates Jewish people. A time comes when she must defend her people, for she is their only voice. Esther 4:16, “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me; and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I also and my maids will fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
One of my favorite books is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. To admit such tells a bit of my personality most are not aware for once you have read it, no other plot can ever compare. But it is a toast which Edmund Dantes, aka The Count of Monte Cristo, offers to a young man turning sixteen which intrigues me the most. “Life is a storm my young friend, you will bask in the sunlight one moment be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into the storm as you shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst for I will do mine.”
I, myself, have been known to shout such a phrase into the wind when life has dealt a crippling blow against me.
My grandmother loved the Lord. She came from an aristocratic home in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father was Attorney General for the State of Georgia. He tried a case involving a black man and a white woman and found the black man innocent. My grandmother remembers the night the KKK came to her home looking for her father. Her mother met them on the front steps with a gun and five children standing firmly behind her. There was no doubt she’d shoot any one of them without blinking an eye. “I have no cause to kill any of you;” she stated firmly, “Yet I will.”
Courage comes from a most unexpected place and when backed by God empowers us to Be Unstoppable. It is a boldness within that shouts to the world, “You may have knocked me down this time; but I’m coming back.”
No matter where you are in the life, The Creator of the Universe has an arm strong enough, long enough, compassionate enough, and comforting enough to rescue you. You only need to reach up and grab hold.
NGTC students receive scholarships
Clarkesville, GA – Allen Mull of Habersham, a CNC Machine student at North Georgia Technical College and Randall Repine of Suwanee, an Auto Collision student at North Georgia Technical College, were each recently awarded a $2,000 Grainger Tools for Tomorrow® scholarship by Grainger, a local distributor of products used to maintain, repair or operate facilities. The scholarship program offers financial assistance for tuition and books to 250 outstanding students each year who are earning associate’s degrees or certificates in skilled trade and public safety programs at 125 community colleges across the country.
Randall Repine, an Army Veteran, came to North Georgia Technical College through a recommendation from a vendor who serviced Currahee Trailers. “By enrolling in the Auto Collision program, I’ve learned every different type of technique I’ll need when I get out in the workforce,” he said. “If you get the opportunity to go back to school, you should take it no matter what your situation is. There is always a way for you to make it work. I really appreciate this scholarship.”
Allen Mull is a third generation truck driver who decided to find a new career path a few years ago when the economy changed. “I’ve lived in Habersham all my life, so I knew about the college,” he said. “Coming to school here has changed my life, and I thank my wife, Jeannette, for her help and support. I will be graduating in CNC this semester and will finish with Machine Tool in the spring. The tools from Grainger will help me to be even more marketable when I start looking for a job in my new career.”
Grainger is proud to partner with community colleges and help students get the education and resources they need to successfully join the workforce. Students also receive a customized Westward® toolkit upon graduation to jump start their career. According to NGTC Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathie Ivester, “We are thrilled to have the partnership and support from Grainger for our outstanding students who choose to pursue technical careers. We value the input and advice from our industry leaders which ensures our graduates are highly skilled and valued members of the workforce.”
“Grainger is investing in the future of American industry and local communities through the Grainger Tools for Tomorrow Scholarship Program,” said Walter Wellborn in Athens, Ga. “We are proud to partner with North Georgia Technical College and believe business and community college partnerships are one solution to building a stronger workforce.”
About Grainger’s Tools for Tomorrow® Scholarship Program
To promote the innovation and importance of careers in public safety and the industrial skilled trades, Grainger, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), launched the Grainger Tools for Tomorrow scholarship program in 2006 to help students realize their educational and career goals. The scholarship is offered to 125 community colleges. Since its inception, Grainger has awarded nearly 800 scholarships, half of those earmarked for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit www.graingercsr.com to learn more about Grainger’s Tool for Tomorrow Program.
For more information about programs of study at North Georgia Technical College, visit www.northgatech.edu or call 706-754-7700.
Volleyball set for quarterfinals
Fayetteville, N.C. – The USA South Athletic Conference has announced the tournament bracket for the 2014 Volleyball Championship Tournament with the Lady Lions earning the 3rd and final seed from the South Division. Piedmont will be making the trip to Martinsville, Virginia for quarterfinal action Friday, November 7 against 2nd seed Averett from the North Division.
In the only meeting between these two teams this season, Piedmont won a five set match on the road at Averett despite dropping the first two sets. In all five sets, the contests were decided by 4 or fewer points, including two sets heading to extra points. That win over the Cougars marked the first time the Lady Lions have defeated Averett since joining the USA South.
Since Piedmont joined the USA South in 2012, Averett has knocked the Lady Lions out of the conference tournament each year. In 2012, Averett defeated the Lady Lions in the quarterfinals while last year, the Cougars victory came in the semifinals.
The 2014 USA South volleyball championship features the top five teams from the North Division and top three teams from the South Division following the completion of the regular season. All matches will take place on the campus of Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville inside Stone Hall. This marks the third year the USA South volleyball tournament has been in the city of Martinsville.
For complete coverage of the Lady Lions in postseason play, stay tuned to the official home of Piedmont College Athletics on the world wide web, PiedmontLions.com.