Election 2024 was marked by record voter turnout in Georgia. By the time polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, 55.6% of the state’s 7.2 million active, registered voters had cast ballots.
Several local elections and ballot initiatives were settled across Northeast Georgia.
In Baldwin, Nancy Lehman was elected to the city council. She defeated Mark Mullinax with 55.24% of the vote. Lehman received 569 votes to Mullinax’s 461.
In Clayton, voters approved Sunday by the drink sales and Sunday package sales. While in Rabun County, incumbent commissioner Will Nichols breezed to reelection with 80% of the vote against challenger Mara Loveless. Also, voters overwhelmingly approved SPLOST.
In one of the more crowded races in the region, three candidates will have to wait until Wednesday to find out who won the Post 5 Rabun County Board of Education race. All three candidates are write-ins. Election officials say they will count those ballots and release the results on Nov. 6.
In Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties, voters selected a new District Attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit, independent candidate Kalki Yalamanchili.
Northeast Georgians returned all their incumbent state legislators to the Georgia General Assembly for January 2025.
Here are the complete, unofficial returns for many of the contested races in Northeast Georgia. For statewide and national returns, click here.
CLARKE COUNTY – 74% voter turnout
DISTRICT ATTORNEY – WESTERN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
w/24 of 24 precincts reporting
Deborah Gonzalez (Dem)(I) 48.14% | 18,068
Kalki Yalamanchili (Ind) 51.86% | 19,466
DAWSON COUNTY – 81% voter turnout
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
Billy Thurmond (R)(I) 84.77% | 16,257
Mya Thomas (D) 15.23% | 2,921
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM AD VALOREM TAXES FOR COUNTY PURPOSES
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 76.17% | 13,919
NO 23.83% | 4,354
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM AD VALOREM TAXES FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 82.71% | 15,237
NO 17.29% | 3,186
FORSYTH COUNTY – 83% voter turnout
COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4
w/8 of 8 precincts reporting
Mendy Moore (R) 79.30% | 23,137
Kat Jewell (D) 20.70% | 6,040
COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 5
w/10 of 10 precincts reporting
Laura Semanson (R)(I) 64.21% | 16,040
Cary Green (D) 35.79% | 8,939
BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 2
w/9 of 9 precincts reporting
Trisha Hoyes (R) 61.06% | 15,775
Jessica Fleming (D) 38.94% | 10,060
BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 3
w/7 of 7 precincts reporting
Dorian Usherwood (R) 66.48% | 16,396
Debbie Stair (D) 34.52% | 8,645
BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 4
w/8 of 8 precincts reporting
Chris Grimes (R) 78.12% | 22,771
Claudia Wood (D) 21.88% | 6,378
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SCHOOLS
w/29 of 29 precincts reporting
YES 73.96% | 93,994
NO 26.04% | 33,086
SPLOST
w/29 of 29 precincts reporting
YES 58.78% | 76,413
NO 41.22% | 53,594
REDEVELOPMENT POWERS
w/29 of 29 precincts reporting
YES 55.93% | 70,532
NO 44.07% | 55,574
HABERSHAM COUNTY – 77% voter turnout
BALDWIN SPECIAL ELECTION POST 2 CITY COUNCIL
w/2 of 2 precincts reporting / 77% voter turnout
Nancy Lehman 55.24% | 569
Mark Mullinax 44.76% | 461
HALL COUNTY – 73% voter turnout
HALL COUNTY SHERIFF
w/31 of 31 precincts reporting
Gerald Couch (R) (I) 74.36% | 74,144
Jerry Ramos (D) 25.64% | 25,568
HALL COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
w/31 of 31 precincts reporting
YES 59.09% | 54,907
NO 40.91% | 38,014
HALL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
w/31 of 31 precincts reporting
YES 60.00% | 46,381
NO 40.00% | 30,917
T-SPLOST
w/31 of 31 precincts reporting
YES 45.63% | 43,934
NO 54.37% | 52,347
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION – City of Gainesville
w/16 of 16 precincts reporting
YES 59.38% | 8,375
NO 40.62% | 5,730
GAINESVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
w/16 of 16 precincts reporting
YES 62.10% | 8,790
NO 37.90% | 5,364
JACKSON COUNTY – 78% voter turnout
SPECIAL ELECTION – COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 3
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
Ty Clack 60.59% | 6,522
Steve Wittry 39.41% | 4,243
TSPLOST
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 46.55% | 20,567
NO 53.45% | 23,611
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HB 1003
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 80.35% | 26,497
NO 19.65% | 6,482
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HB 1004
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 79.60% | 26,419
NO 20.40% | 6,770
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HB 1461
w/4 of 4 precincts reporting
YES 79.29% | 34,751
NO 20.71% | 9,079
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HB 1068 – Jefferson
w/2 of 2 precincts reporting
YES 77.22% | 5,829
NO 22.78% | 1,720
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HB 1460 – Commerce
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
YES 75.64% | 5,829
NO 22.78% | 1,720
RABUN COUNTY – 79% voter turnout
COUNTY COMMISSION POST 1
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
Will Nichols (R)(I) 79.68% | 8,070
Mara Loveless (D) 20.32% | 2,058
BOARD OF EDUCATION – POST 5
w/0 of 1 precinct reporting
Rick Story (appointed by BOE in April)
Jason Streetman
Eric Thurmond
*All candidates are write-ins. Votes will be counted and reported on Nov. 6
SPLOST
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
YES 62.90% | 6,262
NO 37.10% | 3,694
SUNDAY SALES BY THE DRINK – City of Clayton
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
YES 60.93% | 616
NO 39.07% | 395
SUNDAY PACKAGE SALES – City of Clayton
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
YES 61.11% | 619
NO 38.89% | 394
STEPHENS COUNTY – 70% voter turnout
COUNTY COMMISSION POST 3
w/1 of 1 precinct reporting
Craig Oglesby (R) 82.25% | 10,414
Justin Richie (D) 17.75% | 2,248
UNION COUNTY – 84% voter turnout
SOLE COMMISSIONER
w/11 of 11 precincts reporting – all Election Night votes counted
Harold Collins (R) 54.70% | 9,605
Lamar Paris (D)(I) 45.30% | 7,953
WHITE COUNTY – 77% voter turnout
BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 1
w/10 of 10 precincts reporting
Jon Estes (R)(I) 13,689
Shelly McDonald (qualified write-in)
SPLOST
w/10 of 10 precincts reporting
YES 64.42% | 10,447
NO 35.58% | 5,771
State Races
U.S. House
DISTRICT 9
w/12 of 12 precincts reporting
Andrew Clyde (I)(R) 69.02% | 270,820
Tambrei Cash (D) 30.98% | 121,564
DISTRICT 10
w/20 of 20 precincts reporting
Mike Collins (I)(R) 63.08% | 256,167
Lexy Doherty (D) 36.92% | 149,901
Georgia State Senate
DISTRICT 50
w/9 of 9 precincts reporting
Bo Hatchett (R)(I) 83.99% | 82,730
June Krise (D) 16.01% | 15,770
Georgia House of Representatives
DISTRICT 8
w/3 of 3 precincts reporting
Stan Gunter (I)(R) 84.83% | 33,241
Charlotee Sleczkowski (D) 15.17% | 5,945
DISTRICT 10
w/2 of 2 precincts reporting
Victor Anderson (I)(R) 82.94% | 25,862
Paulette Williams (D) 17.06% | 5,320
Other results…
Georgia Senate 46
Republican incumbent Bill Cowsert appears to have beat Democratic challenger Gareth Fenley in 46th State Senate district. At the time of this writing, Republican incumbent Bill Cowsert held a sizable lead over Democratic challenger Gareth Fenley in 46th State Senate district which includes Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Oconee and Walton counties.
Georgia Senate 47
Republican incumbent Frank Ginn bested Democratic challenger Conolus Scott in the 47th State Senate district which includes Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties. Ginn earned 63 percent of the vote to Scott’s 37 percent.
Georgia House of Representatives 120
Republican incumbent Houston Gaines will return to the Georgia House of Representatives. Gaines defeated Democratic challenger Andrew Ferguson in the 120th State House district which includes Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. Gaines earned 61 percent of the vote to Ferguson’s 39 percent.
Georgia House of Representatives 121
Republican incumbent Marcus Wiedower retained his seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. Wiedower defeated Democratic challenger Eric Martin Gisler in the 121st State House district which includes Clarke and Oconee counties. Wiedower earned 61 percent of the vote to Gisler’s 39 percent.
Georgia House of Representatives 122
Democratic incumbent Spencer Frye ran unopposed in the 122nd District race for the Georgia House of Representatives. The 122nd District includes portions of north Athens-Clarke County.
Georgia House of Representatives 124
Republican incumbent Trey Rhodes beat Democratic challenger Melanie M. Miller in the 124th State House district which includes Clarke, Greene, Oglethorpe, Putnam and Taliaferro counties. Rhodes earned 66 percent of the vote to Miller’s 34 percent.
WUGA News’ Daniel McDonald contributed to this report
