Lowndes goes to the polls in runoffs

Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·2 min read

Jun. 17—VALDOSTA — Some Lowndes County voters go to the polls Tuesday to finish off a pair of local races that originally went down to the wire.

In May 21 elections, one Republican primary race for County Commission District 5 went into a runoff, while an election for Lowndes County Board of Education District 7 was also a close race to be finally decided Tuesday, said Tiffany Linkswiler of the Lowndes County Board of Elections.

Under Georgia law, a candidate must receive more than half the votes cast to win an election.

In the county commission race, five candidates competed; the top vote getter, Michael Smith, received 1,496 votes, or 30.74% of the votes cast. Tommy Willis received 1,183; James Puckett, 969; David Sims, 779; and Savannah Baker, 440. Under state law, the top two candidates in a race where no one got at least 50% face off in a runoff.

The winner of the Tuesday runoff between Smith and Willis must still face Democrat Ron J. Bythwood, who ran in his primary unopposed. That election will take place Nov. 5.

In the race for Board of Education District 7, Chris Buescher received 503 votes, which is 49.90% of the total votes cast for the position; G. Edward "Eddie" Smith, the incumbent, received 322; and Larry Godwin received 183. Buescher and Smith are competing in Tuesday's runoff.

Because only two races are being decided today, not all voting precincts will be open. Linkswiler said not everyone in each voting precinct will be eligible to vote, only those in the specific named districts on the ballots.

Voting will take place Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The precincts open for voting will be:

1. Hahira train depot.

2. Hahira Historical Society.

3. Hahira Community Center.

5. Elections Office (2808 N. Oak St., Valdosta)

10. Lowndes County Civic Center.

11. Naylor

12. Rainwater Conference Center.

16. Union Hall at Clyattville Paper Mill.

17. Dasher

18. Lake Park Civic Center.

19. South Lowndes Recreation Center.

Terry Richards is the senior reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times.