It’s Election Day in Georgia. Voters state-wide are determining who holds office at the local level.
In Habersham County, polls are open until 7 p.m., with city council and mayoral seats, a county commission seat and liquor referendums on the ballots.
Early and absentee voters cast 1,117 ballots in Habersham ahead of today’s election. That pales in comparison to the 2020 presidential election when over 17,000 early and absentee mail-in ballots were cast during the presidential election in a pandemic year.
What’s on the ballot?
There are different elections going on in each of Habersham’s seven municipalities, but countywide, all voters get a voice in the District 5 County Commission seat.
Candidates in the District 5 commission race include Mike Adams, Ty Akins, Locke Arnold and Jason Eric Hogan. You can read more about these candidates and their platforms in Now Habersham’s commission candidate interviews.
Voters in Alto, Baldwin, Clarkesville and Cornelia will decide whether to allow package sales of distilled spirits in their towns. The referendums, if passed, would allow municipalities to issue licenses for the sale of alcohol such as brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. Proponents say the measure would generate more tax revenue for the cities through taxes on alcohol sales.
In Alto, city council Posts 1, 3 and 5 are up for election. For Post 1, current councilwoman Carolyn Cabe is being challenged for her seat by Turner Griffith. Post 3 city council member Allen Fox and Post 5 council member P.J. Huggins are both running for reelection unopposed.
In Baldwin, Mayor Joe Elam, Post 4 Councilman Maarten Venter and Post 5 Councilwoman Alice Venter are all running for reelection unopposed.
In Clarkesville, the mayor’s seat as well as city council Posts 1, 4 and 5 are on the ballot. Clarkesville Mayor Barrie Aycock, Post 4 Councilman Franklin Brown and Post 5 Councilman Steven Ward are running for reelection unopposed. Lindsay Claire Sloan and Angelia S. Kiker are both in the running for the Post 1 seat.
In Cornelia, city commission positions for Wards 2 and 3 are on the ballot. Commissioner Janice Griggs, who represents Ward 2, is running for reelection unopposed. The Ward 3 seat, currently held by Don Bagwell, is being challenged by John Ballard.
In Demorest, the mayor and two city council seats are on the ballot. Former Demorest Fire Cheif Kenneth Ranalli is running against Jerry Harkness to succeed outgoing mayor Rick Austin. City Councilmen Shawn Allen and Jim Welborn are running for reelection against challenger Roy Andrew Ferguson for two at-large city council seats.
In Tallulah Falls, three candidates are running for two city council seats. Scott Augustine, Robert Keeler and Tom Tilley are on the ballot.
In Mt. Airy, Ray McAllister is running unopposed for mayor of the city. There are also two council seats on the ballot, with incumbent Patrick Ledford running for reelection and Ken Moore and Paula Kimbrell also on the ballot.
Sample Ballots:
Alto sample ballot | Baldwin sample ballot | Clarkesville sample ballot | Cornelia sample ballot: Wards 1 and 4 | Cornelia sample ballot: Ward 2 | Cornelia sample ballot: Ward 3 | Demorest sample ballot | Mt. Airy sample ballot
Where you can vote:
Habersham North Precinct (City of Clarkesville Precinct)
Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center
120 Paul Franklin Road, Toccoa Hwy
Clarkesville, Ga 30523
706-839-0234
Habersham South Precinct (City of Cornelia Precinct)
Cornelia Community House (TEMPORARY LOCATION)
601 Wyly Street
Cornelia, Ga. 30523
706-778-8585
Demorest Precinct (City of Demorest Precinct)
Concord Baptist Church
250 Alabama Street (old Demorest Elementary Cafeteria)
Demorest, Ga 30535
678-936-9664
Town of Mount Airy (CITY VOTERS ONLY)
City Hall, Old Schoolhouse
1231 Dicks Hill Parkway
Mount Airy, Ga 30563
706-778-6990
City of Baldwin Precinct (CITY VOTERS ONLY)
City Hall, (Old Habersham Bank)
186 Highway 441 By-Pass
Baldwin, Ga 30511
706-776-5256
Mud Creek Precinct (Town of Alto Precinct)
B. C. Grant Baptist Church
1405 B. C. Grant Rd (fellowship hall)
Alto, Ga 30510
706-778-5703
Amy’s Creek Precinct
Amy’s Creek Fire Department
6357 State Hwy. 17
Clarkesville, Ga. 30523
706-754-5913
This article has been updated with new information.
