2024 Election Update – Qualifying and Early Voting Totals

Yesterday, March 4, was the first day of qualifying for the May 21 General Primary/Nonpartisan election.

According to information provided at the close of the day’s qualifying period yesterday by the Stephens County Election office and the Stephens County Republican Party, as well as information provided by the State Elections Office, following locally-relevant candidates have qualified for the upcoming election in partisan seats:

Qualifying to run as Republicans: 

Incumbent Dene Hicks, Tax Commissioner;

Incumbent Timothy Quick, Clerk of Court;

Craig Oglesby and James Addison have qualified for Stephens County Commission Post 3, currently held by Commissioner Dennis Bell, who is not running for reelection to the seat;

Incumbent Debbie Whitlock, Stephens CountyCommission Post 2;

Kyle Johnson, Coroner for Stephens County;

Incumbent Wendy Dawkins, Stephens County Board of Education, Dist. 1 Post 1;

Rusty Fulbright, Dennis Bell and Harold McCroskey have qualified for the Stephens County Sheriff race.

No Democratic candidates qualified for local partisan posts yesterday.

 

In non-partisan races, 

Christopher Stephens and Marti Whitlock Mulligan qualified for Judge of Probate Court;

Incumbent Donald Tabor qualified for Judge of Magistrate Court;

Incumbent James Irvin qualified for Judge of State Court.

For state and federal offices, Incumbent Bo Hatchett qualified for District 50 state senator, running as a Republican, and incumbent George Robert Christian qualified for District Attorney of the Mountain Judicial Circuit, running as a Republican. 

There have been no candidates to qualify, as of close of qualifying yesterday, for Georgia House Representative for District 32, currently held by Chris Erwin, or for Georgia’s 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, currently held by Andrew Clyde.

Qualifying will continue for the remainder of the week, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. until noon in Friday, March 8.

Locally, qualifying for the Democratic Party will take place at Black Law Offices, located at 141 Savannah Street W., Suite B, in Toccoa.  

Qualifying for the Republican Party in Stephens County will take place at the offices of Bross, McAllister & Williams, LLC, located at 268 N. Broad Street in Toccoa.

Qualifying for Non-Partisan positions will take place at the Historic Courthouse, located at 37 W. Tugalo Street in Toccoa.

In other election news, the latest voter counts in the Presidential Preference Primary in Stephens County, including votes cast through the end of voting yesterday, March 4 a total of 1,789 voters have cast Advance in-person ballots, 240 absentee ballots have been mailed to locally-registered voters, and 160 absentee ballots have been returned. There is one provisional ballot recorded.

Advance in-person voting will continue through this Friday, with voting taking place at the Historic Courthouse in Toccoa from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Election Day voting on Tuesday, March 12, will also be held at the Historic Courthouse and will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Stephens County Election Office has posted official and required notice that the Stephens County Board of Elections and Registration will meet for a Special Called Meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, March 11 at the historic courthouse, 37 West Tugalo Street, to begin Early Processing of absentee ballots for the March 12 Presidential Preference Primary.  

For more information, contact the Stephens County Election Office at (706) 886-8954.