TUESDAY’S PRIMARY races in Chatham County answered several questions about who will fill empty seats on the school board and Chatham County Commission.
They also set the stage for two important political battles in November: Races for sheriff and district attorney.
But one question remains: Why didn’t more voters show up, especially since an important sales tax question was on the ballot?
The turnout was 26 percent. While that’s an improvement from the abysmal 19 percent turnout in 2008 — the last primary before a presidential election — it’s still deplorable.
But this weak number shouldn’t detract from the winners. Two were Larry Lower and Jennifer Lambeth. Both will become new school board members, with Mr. Lower representing the Southside and Ms. Lambeth serving West Chatham. Both deserve the public’s support as they address several major issues, such as prioritizing the list of ESPLOST II construction projects.
Also retaining her seat in impressive fashion was Connie Hall, who represents part of the eastside. Ms. Hall, an incumbent, took nearly 56 percent of the vote in a three-candidate race to win without a runoff. That suggests a clear majority is happy with the job she’s doing.
But voters in District 2 have more work to do. Incumbent board member Dionne Hoskins and challenger Danny Frazier will face each other in an
Aug. 21 runoff. Expect both to woo supporters of Malinda Hodge, who finished third in a three-way race.
Two of the milder surprises were County Commission contests.
While incumbents Helen Stone and Pat Farrell comfortably won their GOP primaries — and, will automatically keep their seats because they face no Democratic opposition in November — Republican Eddie DeLoach took the GOP nomination for chairman without a runoff. He beat former chairman Billy Hair and Walter Crawford.
It’s clear that a majority of Republicans wanted Mr. DeLoach, a former county commissioner to go up against Democratic nominee Al Scott, a former state lawmaker, in November. Expect a hard-fought race.
The victory of Yusuf Shabazz, who won the three-way Democratic primary for the District 5 seat on the commission, also raises an eyebrow.
Mr. Shabazz, a once-vocal member of the radical New Black Panther Party, lost in a runoff for the seat in 1995 to then-attorney Harris Odell, who’s now a Recorder’s Court judge. Since he faces no Republican opposition in November, he becomes one of nine commissioners next year. He said Tuesday that he’s older, wiser and less angry than he used to be. He also says he embraces “racial tolerance.” Let’s hope that’s the case.
Meanwhile, two of the biggest local contests in November are now officially under way.
In the race for sheriff, long-time incumbent Al St Lawrence, a Republican, will face retired jail administrator McArthur Holmes, a Democrat. Mr. Holmes clobbered fellow Democrat Mike Jones on Tuesday. Mr. Jones almost won the sheriff’s race four years ago. So the incumbent will have his work cut out for him.
In the race for district attorney, one-term incumbent Larry Chisolm handily defeated Zena McClain to win the Democratic nomination. He will face Republican nominee Meg Heap in November. This race should also be hotly contested. Expect the incumbent’s mismanagement of the office to be a major issue.
Let’s hope voters here are more active in the fall.
When three out of every four voters take a pass, as they did Tuesday, the biggest winner wasn’t any of the candidates. It was apathy.