Toccoa Election Results: One race hangs on provisional votes

After totaling votes at the end of yesterday’s Election Day voting in the Toccoa and Martin Municipal Elections, one race remains too close to call until 12 provisional votes are researched and tallied. 

In the Special Election to fill the unexpired Toccoa City Commission Post 3 seat of Jeanette Jamieson, who passed away in April, four votes separate candidates Michelle Jamieson and Gary Cortellino. Jamieson received 108 Election Day Votes, 220 Advance In Person votes and 20 Absentee ballots, for a total of 348 votes. Cortellino received 82 Election Day Votes, 252 Advance In Person votes and 10 Absentee ballots, for a total of 344 votes.  

In the race for Post 4 between Gail Fry and Lenwood Cannon, Fry collected a total of 449 votes, while Cannon received 202 votes, including all votes except for the 12 provisional ballots.

In the race for Post 2 between Ron Matheson and Billy Chism, Chism collected a total of 251 votes and Matheson received 372 votes. 

Incumbent Commissioner Terry Carter ran unopposed for reelection to his seat on the Commission. 

In the Martin election, Harold Alexander, who ran unopposed for the Mayoral seat, received 50 votes.

Among the three candidates who were vying for two seats on the council, Incumbent Mark Gearhart received 35 votes, Michael O’Barr received 41 votes, and Keith Merritt received 16 votes. 

Following three weeks of Advance In-Person voting, including two Saturday voting days, and Election Day voting, plus absentee ballots, Toccoa’s voter turnout for the 2023 Municipal Election will be pegged at right around the 10.5% range.

A total of 479 people voted in the Toccoa election in Early In Person Voting, and an additional 193 people cast ballots on election day. In the Toccoa Election, a total of 12 provisional votes will undergo routine investigation before being included in election numbers. Stephens County Election Supervisor Bruce Carlisle said results on the provisional ballot investigations will be available at 5:30 on Monday. 

All election results are preliminary and unofficial until certified by the State.