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The Parks & Rec meeting room was teeming with eager citizens as the Lumpkin County Republican Party set the stage for an open forum featuring all 16 local political candidates, last Thursday night.
Three of the nine unopposed candidates set foot at the event and utilized their three-minute speaking slot to engage with the attendees, including incumbent County Surveyor John Gaston, incumbent County Coroner Mark Cox, and incumbent County Commissioner for District 1, Tucker Greene.
Seven candidates, all within contested positions, made their presence felt at the event. However, County Chairperson candidate Steve Shaw was noticeably absent. Katherine James, Chair of the Lumpkin County Republican Party, and moderator for the event, mentioned contradictory messages received from Shaw regarding his attendance.
Each candidate was awarded three minutes to present themselves, following an order of new faces first and then the incumbent. There were questions raised and answered during the final section of the debate, where James accepted written queries from audience members that could be posed to a single candidate or a group.
A set pattern emerged as candidates spoke about their platforms, with many emphasizing their extensive professional experience. A common thread existed around managing the growth of the county whilst retaining its natural appeal.
Warm-Up Session
Following the prayer lead by City Councilman Ross Shirley and the Pledge of Allegiance, James thanked all the candidates for their participation.
“All these people deserve massive applause as they are risking it all by choosing to run for office,” James added, with the crowd readily responding with hearty applause.
County Commissioner Address
James commenced the event with an introduction to the District 2 County Commission candidates, starting off with Jeramy Nye.“My motive to run revolve around two factors: skyrocketing property taxes and persistent changes in the rural character of this county,” Nye said.
Matthew Cootware, another candidate, believed that growth is inevitable, but controllable, while the incumbent commissioner, Dr. Bobby Mayfield, focused on past accomplishments and plans to keep the county from looking like its southern counterpart through smart planning and SPLOST revenue.
Candidate for County Chairperson
James queried the audience for the presence of Steve Shaw. Thereafter, Chris Dockery was invited to take the stage. Dockery spoke about the Board of Commissioners’ growth management strategies, in spite of Shaw’s absence and unsuccessful attempts to contact him.
County Sheriff’s Candidature
Lastly, the candidates for sheriff were introduced. Candidate Matt Cook emphasized the importance of growth and motivation in better serving the community. Incumbent Sheriff Stacy Jarrard emphasized his commitment to community safety and leveraging his broad network to respond to local incidents.
Upcoming Elections
As the General Primary is set for May 21, 2024, citizens will cast their votes to determine their favored representatives. Early voting commences on April 29. Included in the primary ballot will be a decision on whether to continue the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for funding various City and County capital outlay projects. The General Election is scheduled for November 5, where final selections for candidates will be made.
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