Final election figures for the May 22 Primary confirm there were three close races for local offices, with two runoffs, and the third-place finisher in one contest may have something to say about who comes out on top.
The top two vote-getters in Districts 4 and 5 will square off June 18 to determine who wins the Republican nomination – and election – for seats on the Board of Commissioners. In District 4, Carol Ballew finished third and anticipates having some input.
“I have a list of people who want to talk to me about one or the other candidate,” she acknowledged. “I plan on speaking with them all this week. Then, I am getting together with most of my supporters Sunday afternoon to tell them about my conversations and how I am leaning. Both candidates have reached out to me as well.”
Jay Wright finished first in District 4 with 41.8% of the votes, while runner-up Andrew Strickland had 37.2 percent. Ballew finished third with just 21 percent.
Wright complimented Ballew and said he will be seeking new votes wherever possible.
“I think that Mrs. Carol ran a strong and classy race,” the frontrunner said Tuesday. “I spoke with her the night of the election when I complimented her on a race well run.
“Typically, less than a third of the voters who voted in the primary race will turn out for a runoff,” Wright noted. “I am doing everything possible to gain every new vote I can and to remind all of my supporters to be sure to get out and vote this time around. Voter turnout will be key, and I urge everyone to take advantage of early voting the week before.”
Strickland, meanwhile, said he is seeking the backing of Ballew and her supporters, too.
“I look forward to addressing the concerns of her supporters,” the candidate said Tuesday. “Mrs. Ballew and her supporters’ concerns are important to me, and I am committed to working for her supporters the same way I’ll work for all of the district, with passion and commitment.”
Ballew had her best showing in the North Baldwin Precinct, picking up 27%, while she only managed 14.7% of the 622 ballots cast in East Baldwin.
Scott Little nearly won the District 5 race without a runoff, picking up 48.6%, with 489 of the 1,005 votes, just 14 short of an outright win. He will face incumbent commissioner Johnny Westmoreland, who is completing his third term and is commission chairman this year.
Little carried every precinct in the district, narrowly topping Westmoreland by 14 votes, 183-169, in the Meriwether Precinct, where third-place finisher Pam Peacock picked up 101. Little’s widest margin was in North Milledgeville, as he outpolled the other two candidates together, 169-73.
While incumbent Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson won statewide, he did not fare so well in Baldwin County. Former Democratic Congressman John Barrow defeated Pinson locally 2,609-2,221, a 54-46% advantage. Barrow took 11 of 14 precincts as well as early and absentee balloting.
Close race, Amerson looking forward to serving
An analysis of the non-partisan District 3 Board of Education race for an open seat revealed some interesting numbers. Dylan Amerson defeated Beverly Rayford, despite losing five of the nine precincts. Rayford prevailed in pre-election day balloting 165-102, but Amerson outgained his opponents at the polls 248-174 to win by 11 votes.
Amerson’s strength in the Cooper’s Precinct proved to be the difference, as he won there, 184-111. In the other eight precincts combined, Rayford had 62 more votes than the winner. Those numbers include absentees and early voting.
Amerson, 34, attended Baldwin County High and graduated from Georgia College & State University in 2012 with a degree in outdoor education. He moved away and worked for five years as an environmental educator then two years as a field instructor with at-risk youths before moving back home. He is the co-owner/operator of Huff’s Market along with his wife, Kensey.
Amerson said he has wanted to participate in community activities and saw the chance.
“My wife and I have been discussing ways to get more involved in the Baldwin County community, and especially the education system since our move back in 2021,” he said. “When I learned that Mr. Chandler (my former principal) would not be running for re-election, we thought it would be a great opportunity to jump in and serve.
“I have a two-and-a-half year-old son, and I believe that he and every child in Baldwin County deserves access to a high quality public school education,” Amerson continued. “I would like to play a small part in trying to ensure that happens, and that our schools are the best they can be.”
The newly elected board member said he appreciates the school system and those who make it work.
“I highly value education, especially our public school system,” he said. “I hope to use my time on the Board of Education to help ensure that every student gets the opportunity to learn and grow in our schools. I have many friends and customers that I see every day who are teachers, and I see them as pillars to our community.
“I am ready to start as a board member with an open mind and a willingness to learn the many pieces of the system, so that I can fill the role to the best of my ability.”