Early voting for the May 21 general primary starts on Monday, April 29 and here’s what Columbia County residents need to know.
When voters head to the polls, they will have to pick a ballot to cast, either Republican, Democrat or nonpartisan and depending on which one is selected, voters might not see every race.
On the Republican ballot, depending on the district where the voter lives, will be:
- U.S. House of Representatives District 12: Rick Allen (incumbent)
- State Senate District 23: Max Burns (incumbent)
- State Senate District 24: Lee Anderson (incumbent)
- State House District 123: Rob Leverett (incumbent)
- State House District 125: Gary Richardson (incumbent), C.J Pearson (note: Pearson has withdrawn from the race and any vote for him will not count. There will be signs up at the precincts to let voters know.)
- State House of Representatives District 127: Mark Newton (incumbent)
- State House of Representatives District 131: Paul Abbott, David Byrne, Benjamin Cairns, Rob Clifton, Russell Wilder
- Judge of the Probate Court: Alice Padgett (incumbent)
- Clerk of Superior Court: Cindy Mason (incumbent)
- Sheriff: Clay Whittle (incumbent)
- Tax Commissioner: Wayne Bridges (incumbent)
- Coroner: Terry Norman
- Chief Magistrate: Jason Troiano
- County Commissioner District 2: Trey Allen, Mark Petersen
- County Commissioner District 3: Michael Carraway, Rickey Meredith
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Michael Boggs (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Ellington (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Nels Peterson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Barrow, Andrew Pinson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Stephen Dillard (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ken Hodges (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ben Land (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Amanda Mercier (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeff Davis, Tabitha Ponder (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Brian Rickman (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeffrey Watkins (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge – Superior Court Columbia Judicial Circuit: Sheryl B. Jolly-Turner (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education Chairman: David Dekle (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 1: Philip Kent, Jr. (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 4: Katie Allen, Lee Ann Meyer (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
There will also be 14 party questions on the Republican ballot, including one about the incorporation of Columbia County. To view the questions ahead of time, visit the My Voter Page on the Georgia Secretary of State website.
On the Democratic ballot, depending on the district where the voter lives, will be:
- U.S. House of Representatives District 12: Daniel “DJ” Jackson, Elizabeth “Liz” Johnson
- State Senate District 23: Shayna Boston
- State House of Representatives District 123: Hope S. Beard
- State House of Representatives District 125: Kay Turner
- State House of Representatives District 131: Heather Rose White
- Coroner: Helen L. Bratton
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Michael Boggs (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Ellington (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Nels Peterson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Barrow, Andrew Pinson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Stephen Dillard (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ken Hodges (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ben Land (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Amanda Mercier (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeff Davis, Tabitha Ponder (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Brian Rickman (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeffrey Watkins (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge – Superior Court Columbia Judicial Circuit: Sheryl B. Jolly-Turner (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education Chairman: David Dekle (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 1: Philip Kent, Jr. (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 4: Katie Allen, Lee Ann Meyer (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
There are eight party questions on the Democratic ballot.
On the nonpartisan ballot will be:
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Michael Boggs (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Ellington (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: Nels Peterson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Justice Supreme Court of Georgia: John Barrow, Andrew Pinson (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Stephen Dillard (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ken Hodges (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Ben Land (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Amanda Mercier (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeff Davis, Tabitha Ponder (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Brian Rickman (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge Court of Appeals of Georgia: Jeffrey Watkins (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- Judge – Superior Court Columbia Judicial Circuit: Sheryl B. Jolly-Turner (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education Chairman: David Dekle (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 1: Philip Kent, Jr. (nonpartisan)
- County Board of Education District 4: Katie Allen, Lee Ann Meyer (incumbent) (nonpartisan)
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners District 3 special election will be on all Republican, Democratic and nonpartisan ballots in District 3 due to it being a special election.
Early voting will run from April 29 – May 17, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, May 4 and Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Board of Elections) G3 Building in Evans and the former Euchee Creek Library in Grovetown.
To view sample ballots and other voter information, including precinct, visit mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Stephanie Hill is the managing editor and covers Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
