Three sheriffs races highlight runoff elections in northeast Georgia

Three sheriff’s races in northeast Georgia are headed to primary runoffs after Tuesday’s election did not settle on a candidate, while several other county offices in the region are also involved in runoffs.

The sheriff’s races are in Elbert, Franklin and Morgan counties. There were no incumbent sheriffs running in any of these counties.

In Clarke County, the only runoff election is for the District 2 Board of Education seat between front runner Claudia Butts with 319 votes and Mary P. Bagby with 299 votes in Tuesday's primary.

The runoff is set for June 18 with advance voting from June 10-14. In Clarke County, the only polling places open for advance voting are at the main election’s office at 155 East Washington St. and the Miriam Moore Community Center at 410 McKinley Drive.

Primary Election: Northeast Georgia voters return incumbents, elect new sheriffs in Tuesday primaries

In the sheriff’s races, the Elbert County runoff features Democrats Darren Scarborough, a captain in the sheriff’s office who received nearly 48 percent of the vote with 699, and Elbert County native Dre’KIevious Gibbs, who received 526 votes.

The winner faces Republican candidate Jamie Callaway in November.

The Morgan County race in the Republican primary runoff features Joseph Pritchett, a lieutenant with the sheriff’s office, and Tyler Hooks, a veteran of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. They were the top vote-getters in a race that featured seven candidates.

Pritchett received 1,518 votes or about 35 percent and Hooks received 1,236 votes. The winner will face Democratic candidate Derrick Reid Sr. in November.

In Franklin County, a runoff is set between Scott Andrews, a retired Georgia State Patrol trooper, and Brian Stovall, a current deputy in the sheriff’s office.

Andrews narrowly missed taking the office as he had 49.49 percent of the vote, according to the tally on the Secretary of State’s website. In a three-man race, Stovall came in second with 30.5 percent of the vote.

Three other seats are also in primary runoffs in Franklin County.

The County Commission chairman’s seat is a contest between Courtney Long, who received 1,640 votes and Joe Greene with 1,446 votes on Tuesday.

Primary Election: See who is moving on after the Primary in state House, Senate, Congressional races

The County Commission District 1 seat features a race between Tyler Owenby and Wanda Thompson, as they were the top two in a field of five candidates.

Also, the Commission District 2 seat features a race between Cory Pulliam and Sam Freeman.

In Barrow County, a runoff is set for the board of education District 8 seat between Renee Lord and Brian Macnew.

In Greene County the Board of Commissioners District 4 seat features a race between Steve Broadbent and Mark Blanton. The incumbent, Ernie Filice, came in third.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Northeast Georgia runoff elections set for June 18