Newton Citizen

COVINGTON — Many Newton County voters will head back to the polls to cast their ballots in the Aug. 10 primary runoff election for several state and local Republican and Democrat offices.

Several candidates failed to get the required 50.1 percent of the vote to claim a party victory in the July 20 primary election, so now the top two vote-getters will face off in a runoff on Aug. 10.

REPUBLICAN

Governor

Nathan Deal

Karen Handel

Attorney General

Sam Olens

Preston W. Smith

Commissioner of Insurance

Ralph R. Hudgens

Maria Sheffield

Public Service Commission

John Douglas

Tim Echols

U.S. House District 7

Jody Hice

Rob Woodall

State Senate District 17

Todd Hilton

Rick Jeffares

District 1 Board of Education

(Includes voters from the following precincts: Brewers, Brick Store, Mansfield, Newborn, Rocky Plains and portions of Downs and the Hub.)

Jeff Meadors

Dale Thompson

DEMOCRAT

Secretary of State

Gail Buckner

Georganna Sinkfield

State House District 95

Toney Collins (I)

Pam Dickerson

District 3 Board of Education

(Includes voters from the following precincts: Almon, Crowell. Fairview and portions of Beaver Dam, Cedar Shoals, Bum Creek and Stansells)

Shakila Henderson-Baker

James Johnson Jr.

Locally, some district voters will cast their votes for Newton County Board of Education candidates.

Residents who live in District 1 will choose a Republican candidate — Jeff Meadors or Dale Thompson. District 1 includes voters who cast ballots at Brewers, Brick Store, Mansfield, Newborn and Rocky Plains precincts, as well as part of Downs and the Hub precincts.

Democrat voters who live in District 3 will choose between candidates Shakila Henderson-Baker or James Johnson Jr. District 3 includes Almon, Crowell and Fairview precincts, as well as a portion of Beaver Dam, Cedar Shoals, Gum Creek and Stansells precincts.

Statewide, Republican voters will choose candidates for governor, Nathan Deal or Karen Handel; attorney general, Sam Olens or Preston W. Smith; commissioner of insurance, Ralph T. Hudgens or Maria Sheffield; public service commissioner, John Douglas or Tim Echols; U.S. House District 7, Jody Hice or Rob Woodall; and state Senator 17th District, Todd Hilton or Rick Jeffares.

Democrat voters will choose state candidates for Secretary of State, Gail Buckner or Georganna Sinkfield; and a state representative for District 95, incumbent Toney Collins or Pam Dickerson.

Residents must have registered to vote by June 21 in order to cast a ballot in the runoff elections.

Board of Elections Director Donna Morrison said residents who were registered and eligible to vote in the primary but did not cast a ballot still can vote in the runoff election for either party.

Those who voted in the primary must vote in the same party for the runoff.

Polls will be open on Aug. 10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Early and absentee voting for the runoff began at noon Thursday and will continue until Friday, Aug. 6. During that time, residents can vote from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Newton County Board of Elections office, which is located in the county administrative building at 1113 Usher St. in Covington.

Morrison reminded voters that they cannot vote early or absentee on Monday, Aug. 9, or on the day of the election, Tuesday, Aug. 10, at the BOE office — they must vote in their zoned precincts on the day of the election.

Voters can visit the Newton County Board of Elections website at co.newton.ga.us to see if they are registered to vote and to view a sample ballot.