Ballot questions drive countywide votes
Cities around Northwest Georgia also have contested races to decide in the Nov. 7 election.
Cities around Northwest Georgia also have contested races to decide in the Nov. 7 election.
Odd-numbered years are typically for city elections in Georgia, but several Northwest Georgia counties have ballot questions to be decided on Nov. 7.
Floyd County voters are weighing in on two proposed local option sales tax extensions — an ELOST to fund education projects at city and county schools, and a SPLOST for special-purpose projects the governments would oversee.
Rome voters also will choose three city commissioners and seven school board members and Cave Spring will elect three city council members.
Polk, Gordon and Walker counties also have countywide votes in addition to their city elections.
Euharlee and Summerville also have ballot questions.
Here’s a look at what’s happening in the region:
Bartow County
In Adairsville, incumbent Lee Castro and challenger Lynn Whitt Whitlock are vying for the Post 3 city council seat. Incumbent Alton Buddy Bagley is unopposed for Post 4.
Cartersville residents have two contested races: Barbara Jackson is challenging incumbent Matt Santini for mayor; political newcomers Joey Pogue and Cary Roth are seeking the Ward 3 city council seat.
In Euharlee, Ronald D. Nesbitt and Steve D. Worthington are vying for mayor.
Voters also will decide on a proposed homestead exemption of $40,000 for residents 65 years and older.
Kingston Mayor Elbert Wise Jr. and Councilmember Louise Howell are unopposed for reelection. Louise Young Harris and Vivian Shaw are vying for council Post 4.
In White, Kim Dupree Billue and David King are in the mayoral race. Four candidates are vying for two at-large city council seats: Norman Gary Crisp, Tina Wilhite and incumbents Dennis R. Huskins and David Richards.
Catoosa County
In Ringgold, four candidates are vying for two open seats on the city council: Kelly Bomar and Rhonda Bishop Swaney and incumbents Jake Haynes and Randall Franks.
The Fort Oglethorpe election was canceled after only incumbents James Howard Childs, Craig A. Crawford and Paula G. Stinnett qualified for the three open city council seats.
Chattooga County The Lyerly mayoral race has three candidates: Jimmie Hartline, Jim Gilliland and Jim Ferguson.
One city council race is contested, with Trudy Hartline and Juanita Baker vying for the seat. Summerville voters will decide if they’ll allow Sunday beer and wine sales, by the package and by the drink, and Sunday liquor sales at restaurants.
Mayor Harry Harvey is facing a challenge from Christopher Nixon. On the city council, Betty Brady, incumbent David Ford and Michael A. “Preacher” Mack are vying for Post 1 and Robert W. “Bobby” Patterson is challenging incumbent Lloyd D. “Buddy” Windle for Post 2.
Trion Mayor Larry Stansell is facing challenger Tonya Abernathy. There are two other contested races.
Jeff “Fro” Wilson is challenging incumbent Michael Casey Brown for City Council Post 1. For Seat 5 on the school board, Chris Witt, Jeff Maddux and Secret Ingle are vying to oust incumbent Thomas Venn.
Gordon County All Gordon County voters will go to the polls to decide on an extension of the special purpose, local option sales tax.
In the Calhoun City Council races, voters will decide between incumbent Matt Barton and challenger George Crowley for Post 1 and from the slate of Ray Denmon, Alvin Long and Ed Moyer for Post 4.
Board of education candidates Andy Baxter, Rhoda Washington and David Scoggins are unopposed for the three open seats.
Fairmount and Plainville elections were canceled after only the incumbents qualified for the open city council seats.
Resaca has a town council seat contested by Michael Austin, Randy Barron and Mitch Reed. Post 4 incumbent Sandra Adams is unopposed.
Polk County Polk County voters have a proposed education local option sales tax extension to decide.
Aragon’s three open city council seats will be filled by Amy Causey, Candace Seiz and Judson Fee. Cedartown has two open city commission seats, sought by incumbents Matt Foster and Jordan Hubbard and challengers Jessica Payton and Patrick McNally.
Rockmart school board incumbent Judy Wiggins is facing challenges by Carolyn Williams and Chris Culver.
Walker County
A countywide vote is scheduled on a proposed 1-cent transportation special local option sales tax.
A Northwest Georgia regional TSPLOST vote failed in 2012 but state law now allows countyonly referendums for road projects.
Chickamauga has six candidates vying for three at-large city council seats: Doug Cogswell, Dale Powell, Lance Tarvin and incumbents Randal Dalton, Don Martin and Evitte Parrish.
LaFayette City Council member Beacher Garmany is being challenged by Vic Burgess.
Elections were cancelled in Rossville and Lookout Mountain after no challengers emerged for the open seats.