Local voters will mark ballots for eight elections Tuesday: three local democratic primary races; three local Republican primary races; one state senate primary and one state house primary. Three of the eight elections will be decided next week.
Voters will know Wednesday morning the winners of the Lowndes County Supervisor races in Districts 3 and 4, and the District 17 state senate seat.
In the senate race, incumbent Chuck Younger faces fellow Republican Bobby Patrick in the primary. It’s the second time the two have faced-off in eight months since they ran to fill the vacated spot of the late Terry Brown.
Two Lowndes County Supervisor races will end Tuesday. In District 3, Incumbent John Holliman faces Republican challenger Patrick “PJ” Hughes. Democrats square off in the District 4 primary where incumbent Jeff Smith will have his seat contested by Joe Brooks.
There will be a narrowing of the field in races for Lowndes County Circuit Clerk, Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, county supervisors in Districts 1 and 5 and State House District 41.
A Republican contender for Circuit Clerk will be chosen from among current deputy clerk Teresa Barksdale, retired educator Margie Canon and Columbus businessman Justin Shelton. The primary winner will face Independent computer analyst Tim Heard, Democratic city councilman Joesph Mickens and Libertarian businesswoman Sheri Bedwell in November.
Lowndes County Sheriff Mike Arledge, a Republican incumbent will be waiting to see who his opponent will be Tuesday. A field of Democratic challengers: former Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen, Lowndes Juvenile Detention Center Director Anthony Nelson and former CPD officer Bobby Weber will be weeded out in the primary.
Three Republicans are running to be superintendent of the Lowndes County School District. Only two will remain in the race after Tuesday. Current LCSD superintendent Lynn Wright will face New Hope High School assistant principal Sammy Sullivan and Joe Cook Elementary principal Dr. Tim Wilcox in the primary.
Longtime incumbent and current Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders faces a Republican challenge from Pauline Redmond. Sanders has asked for voters to consider his 16 year record as a Supervisor. Redmond has called for a more united county government. The winner of the primary will face Independent Phillip Atkins in November.
A run-off seems likely in District 5, where Democratic incumbent Leroy Brooks will face teacher and business owner Ricky Hill Sr. and Columbus city councilman Marty Tuner in the primary. Accusations of infractions and threats have been frequent between Brooks and Turner heading into the primary.
Columbus city councilman Kabir Karriem will be the lone Democrat on the ballot Tuesday, but he faces a primary challenge nonetheless. Former Columbus municipal judge Nicole Clinkscales and local nurse and community organizer Tiffany Sturdivant qualified to run as write-in candidates. A run-off between the two top vote recipients is likely later in August.
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