Politics

Around Georgia: A Look At Some Election Results

November 8th, 2017

A voter enters a polling site in metro Atlanta on Tuesday. Voters had to fill some vacancies in the Georgia Legislature.

David Goldman / Associated Press

Here are some results from Tuesday elections around Georgia:

Schofield, Pickett Advance To Runoff In 60th District

Two metro Atlanta Democrats will meet in a runoff election Dec. 5 to fill a vacant seat in the state House.

Democrats Kim Schofield and De’Andre Pickett were the top two finishers Tuesday in a race to fill the vacant 60th District seat in Fulton and Clayton counties. Neither candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote as needed to win outright, sending the race to a runoff.

Democratic Rep. Keisha Waites of Atlanta resigned from the district in September to run in Tuesday’s election for chairman of the Fulton County Commission.

Three Democrats — Schofield, Pickett and Sparkle Adams — had signed up to compete for Waites’ House seat. No Republicans joined the race.

The winner of the runoff will serve the remaining year of Waites’ unfinished term.

89th District Results

Two Democrats will face off in a Dec. 5 runoff election for a state House seat left vacant by a Democratic lawmaker running for governor.

Bee Nguyen and Sachin Varghese were the top two finishers Tuesday in a special election for the 89th District seat in DeKalb County. Neither candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote needed to win outright and avoid a runoff.

The winner will replace Democratic Rep. Stacey Abrams of Atlanta. Abrams resigned from office in August to concentrate on her 2018 campaign for governor.

The winner will serve the final year of Abrams’ unfinished term, but must run again next year to remain in office. All state House and Senate members are up for re-election in 2018.

Gonzalez Wins 117th District

Democrat Deborah Gonzalez has won a special election to a vacant state House seat in northeast Georgia.

Gonzalez defeated Republican Houston Gaines on Tuesday in the 117th District, which includes portions of Clarke, Oconee, Barrow and Jackson counties.

The election was called to fill the remaining year in the unfinished term of GOP Rep. Regina Quick of Athens. Quick had to step down in Augusta after Gov. Nathan Deal appointed her to become a Superior Court judge.

Gonzalez will report to the state Capitol for the 2018 legislative session in January — and then hit the campaign trail again. All state House and Senate members must seek re-election next year in order to remain in office.

Wallace Wins in 119th District

Democrat Jonathan Wallace has won election in northeast Georgia to an open seat in the state House.

Voters in Clarke and Oconee counties elected Wallace on Tuesday to the 119th District.

The seat was vacated by Republican Rep. Chuck Williams of Watkinsville in August after Gov. Deal appointed him to head the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Three Republicans — Lawton Lord, Marcus Wiedower and Steven Strickland — also ran for the seat.

The winner will serve the remaining year in Williams’ unfinished term, but will have to run again in 2018 to hold onto the seat. A

Forsyth Voters Elect Morris In 26th District

Republican Marc Morris has won a special election for a Georgia House seat north of Atlanta.

Forsyth County voters elected Morris on Tuesday to take the place of Republican Rep. Geoff Duncan of Cumming. Duncan stepped down from his 26th District seat in August to focus on his 2018 campaign for lieutenant governor.

Two Republicans — Morris and Tina Trent — had entered the race along with Democrat Steve Smith.

The winner will serve the remaining year of Duncan’s term.

Carpenter Wins In 4th District

Republican Kasey Carpenter has won a four-way special election for a vacant state House seat in northwest Georgia.

Whitfield County voters elected Carpenter on Tuesday to replace Republican Rep. Bruce Broadrick of Dalton. Broadrick stepped down from his 4th District seat in September, citing failing health.

Carpenter and fellow GOP candidates Beau Patton and Eddie Caldwell ran for the seat. So did one Democrat, Peter Pociask.

Carpenter will serve the remaining year of Broadrick’s unfinished term.

Democrats Keep Metro Atlanta Seat In Ga. House

Democrats will retain control of a metro Atlanta seat in the state House that was vacated by a lawmaker who’s running for governor.

Smyrna consultant Teri Anulewicz was the only candidate on the ballot Tuesday in the special election in Cobb County. She will succeed former Democratic Rep. Stacey Evans of Smyrna, who gave up her seat in September to devote more time to her 2018 campaign for governor.

Anulewicz will fill the final year of Evans’ unfinished House term. But the newcomer will have to run again next year if she wants a full two-year term.