Not one Democrat filed for political office in Columbia County for the upcoming elections.
Friday was the deadline to declare a candidacy for the upcoming May 24 primary, and Republicans were the only ones to file for the partisan races in the county and for statewide offices that include Columbia County.
Columbia County Democrats tried to field candidates, but no one volunteered, one party official said.
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“Most Democrats in Columbia County think it’s a waste of time and money to run,” said Linda Luden, secretary of the Columbia County Democratic Party.
Columbia County Republican Party chair Debbie McCord said she thinks it would be better for voters and her party if Democrats ran candidates in the county. She said opposition drives voter turnout.
“Now I have to work really hard to get people to go out and vote,” McCord said.
Columbia County’s candidates who qualified to be on the May 24th ballot are:
State Senate District 23: Incumbent Max Burns, R-Sylvania, is running unopposed.
State Senate District 24: Incumbent Lee Anderson, R-Grovetown, is running unopposed.
State Representative District 123: Incumbent Rob Leverett, R-Elberton, is running unopposed.
State Representative District 125: Incumbent Barry Fleming, R-Evans, is running unopposed.
State Representative District 127: Incumbent Mark Newton, R-Augusta, is running unopposed.
State Representative District 131: Jodi Lott, R-Evans, is running unopposed.
County Commission District 1: Incumbent Connie Melear, R-Evans, is running unopposed.
County Commission District 4: Alison Couch, R-Harlem, is challenging incumbent Dewey Galeas, R-Appling.
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County Commission Chairperson: Incumbent Douglas Duncan, R-Martinez, is running unopposed.
The Columbia County Board of Education election is also May 24, but it is a non-partisan race and the May election is a general election and not a primary for the board of education, said Nancy Gay, executive director of the Columbia County Board of Elections.
Board of Education District 3: Ashley Lee of Evans and Melvin Mahone of Grovetown are challenging incumbent Judy Simmons Teasley of Evans.
County Board of Education District 2: Sandy Steed, Lee Benedict and John Duggan, all of Martinez, are challenging incumbent Kristi Baker of Martinez.
The Republican primary ballot will have two non-binding poll questions as well and read:
1. Should sex-change procedures or the prescribing of puberty blocking drugs in individuals under 18 be illegal?
2. Columbia County Board of Education races are currently classified as non-partisan. Should Columbia County Board of Education positions be changed to partisan and candidates be required to declare a party at the time of qualifying?
Joshua B. Good is a staff reporter covering Columbia County and military/veterans’ issues for The Augusta Press. Reach him at joshua@theaugustapress.com
