Richmond County has a new school board member and Blythe has a new mayor and council member after Tuesday’s special election.
Voters in District 6 favored Ed Lowery, a former school system employee and funeral director over Laura Green, who owns a daycare.
The special election was set in motion by the death of District 6 trustee-elect Tyrique Robinson on Nov. 14. Interest Tuesday was extremely low, with only 123, or .77%, of the district’s 16,021 registered voters casting ballots.
The special elections were expected to cost taxpayers $45,000 to $50,000.
Green carried a single precinct, 604, which votes at Southside Baptist Church. She and Lowery tied at the Gracewood campus precinct.
Lowery carried Bernie Ward Community Center, Stevens Creek Baptist Church South Augusta, Windsor Spring Baptist Church, Gracewood Community Center and Pine Hill Baptist Church.
Blythe returns Cobb to mayor’s office
Former Blythe mayor Tom Cobb returns to the post after defeating former Blythe council member Edward LaJoie in the special election.
Cobb previously served as mayor of Blythe from 2000 to 2010, when he ran for the Augusta Commission. The Army retiree returned to the post briefly in 2018 before resigning due to illness.
The special election became necessary with the January resignation of Mayor Curt St. Germaine, who cited “personal reasons” and conflicts with a council voting bloc. Days later, LaJoie resigned his post on the council.
In a social media message, Cobb thanked voters for their support. “I am looking forward to working for everyone,” he said.
Cobb won the race with 157 or 69.16% of votes to LaJoie’s 70 or 30.84%.
Newsome wins council seat
Voters in Blythe opted against returning former mayor Philip Lee Stewart to city hall and elected cosmetologist Rebecca Bartlett Newsome, to the open at-large council post.
Newsome, a former candidate, received 113 or 50% of the vote to candidate Mike Rineer’s 71 or 31.42% and Stewart’s 42 votes or 18.58%.
Turnout was much higher in the small town of 745 than in the school board race, with 44.16% of registered voters casting ballots.
