Kemp to resign as secretary of state at noon
News, Politics November 8, 2018
ATLANTA – Republican Brian Kemp announced that he will officially resign as secretary of state at 11:59 a.m. today and begin the transition to become Georgia’s next governor immediately.
Kemp is currently the state’s top elections official. Governor Nathan Deal will then appoint commissioner of the Department of Human Services Robyn Crittenden secretary of state, who will certify Tuesday’s election in which he Kemp defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams.
Kemp declared victory in the race, but Abrams said she will not concede the election until all provisional ballots are counted. Officials have said she would need 2,500 provisional votes to force a runoff. Kemp said today that only about 2,000 provisional votes remain uncounted.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
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Governor’s race is still too close to call
News, Politics November 7, 2018
Brian Kemp
ATLANTA – With 98 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, the top Election Day prize was still up for grabs at 7 a.m. today.
Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp leads former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams with 50.42 percent of the vote to Abrams 48.64. Kemp must win 50.1 percent to avoid a runoff.
Kemp told supporters “I am confident victory is near.”
Abrams has not yet conceded. She says she “will wait until every vote Is counted.”
Geoff Duncan
Forsyth County’s Geoff Duncan has claimed victory in the race for Lt. Governor over Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico. Duncan has received 51.83 percent in the two-person race.
Only the final margin is in question in the race for Ninth District U.S. Congress where Republican incumbent Doug Collins has won 79.6 percent of the vote to Josh McCall’s 20.4.
Republican Brad Raffensperger and John Barrow are headed for a runoff. Raffensperger has received 49.28 percent of the vote to Barrow’s 48.49. Smythe Duval has received 2.22 percent.
Elsewhere, Republicans held comfortable margins. Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black leads his Democrat challenger Fred Swann with 53.27 percent to Swann’s 46.73.
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins
Incumbent Republican State School Superintendent Richard Woods has won 53.21 percent of the vote to Otha Thornton’s 46.79.
Another incumbent Republican, Labor Commissioner Mark Butler leads Richard Keatley 52.68 percent to 47.32.
Republican Jim Beck leads a three-way race against Democrat Janice Laws and Libertarian Donnie Fowler. Beck has won 50.56 percent to Laws’ 46.79. Fowler has received 2.6.
Fetch Your News will update these results when they become official.
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Stakes are incredibly high in Tuesday’s election
News, Politics November 5, 2018
Brian Kemp
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – On election eve, the stakes in the 2018 midterm election could not be higher. That was reflected in the record-setting turnout during the three-week, in-person, advanced voting session that saw 2.1 million Georgians cast their votes.
Here in Dawson County, interest was through the roof. Director of Elections and Registration Glenda Ferguson reported last week that 7,036 residents voted early.
Stacey Abrams
At the top of the ballot is the race for Governor where conservative Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp faces liberal Democrat former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams.
The candidates could not be more different. Kemp opposes the expansion of Medicaid. Abrams supports expansion. Kemp wants to deport illegal immigrants and ban sanctuary cities. Abrams opposes clamping down on illegal immigration and wants to provide a pathway to citizenship. Kemp wants Georgia to have the toughest abortion restrictions in the U.S. Abrams opposes additional restrictions. Kemp wants to preserve the HOPE scholarship but opposes letting undocumented students access the scholarship. Abrams believes it should be available to all.
Geoff Duncan
The third candidate in the race, Libertarian Ted Metz, could play the spoiler role. Pollsters say the race between Kemp and Abrams is razor thin and neither has crossed the 50 percent barrier that would prevent an unprecedented four-week runoff.
While the governor’s race has gained nationwide attention, there are other important races on the ballot.
Republican Geoff Duncan of Forsyth County and Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico are running for lieutenant governor. The candidates for Secretary of State are Brad Raffensperger (R), John Barrow (R), and Smyth Duval (L).
The race for Attorney General is between Gary Black (R) and Fred Swann (D).
Sarah Amico
Incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Doug Collins faces a challenge from Democrat Josh McCall in the 9th District.
Also on the Dawson County ballot is the race between 7th District State Representative David Ralston (R) and Rick Day (D).
There are also five constitutional amendments for voters to decide and two statewide referenda.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
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Dawson Co. casts 7,036 votes during early voting
News, Politics November 2, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Pollsters say high turnouts in Georgia’s rural counties will benefit Secretary of State Brian Kemp in his campaign against Democrat Stacey Abrams to become the state’s next governor. Early voting ended Friday and if Dawson County is a barometer, the Republican is in great shape.
Dawson County Chief Voter Registrar Glenda Ferguson reported more than 4,000 new voters have registered since the last midterm election in 2014 and 7,036 voted during the three-day, in-person advanced voting period this year, compared to only 3,264 in 2014.
The two candidates are setting fundraising records, with Kemp reporting nearly $21 million compared to Abrams. However, as of Oct. 25, Abrams had $4.2 million remaining, compared to Abrams $3.9 million. That could be a significant in a race that most say, at this point, is too close to call.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
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Early-voting turnout triples 2014 midterm election
Election 2018, News October 21, 2018
Glenda Ferguson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Voters all across Georgia raced to polling places in what appears to be record numbers during the first week of in-person, early voting last week and Dawson County was no exception.
Statewide, nearly three times as many people (482,435) voted last week compared with the last midterm election according to a report by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
Dawson County Director of Elections and Registration Glenda Ferguson said 560 voters turned out Friday, closing out a week in which 2,328 voters cast early ballots compared to only 725 during the first week of the 2014 midterm election.
It is difficult to say whether Dawson County voters are more motivated by what appears to be a very close and increasingly bitter race between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams for governor or national issues like control of the U.S. House and Senate, illegal immigration and the farcical hearing for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In-person early voting in Georgia will continue for two more weeks until Nov. 2, including at least one Saturday Oct. 27. Election Day is Nov. 6 when polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
The website Georgia Votes reports that about 61 percent of early voters so far are white and 29 percent are black. Almost 30 percent of early voters didn’t cast a ballot in 2014.
Despite the large number of voters, Ferguson said voting went smoothly all five days with very few glitches.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
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Brian Kemp silent on allowing voters to decide on official English
Opinion October 16, 2018
Pro-English voters should ask questions
By: D.A. King
A December 2015 Rosetta Stone poll showed that a bipartisan 76% of Georgians support making English Georgia’s constitutional official language. The idea is English as official, not “English only” as goes the portrayal by dishonest opponents.
Policy differences for candidates in the race for Georgia governor may not extend to allowing Georgia voters to decide if the state constitution should be amended to make English the official language of government.
According to an AJC report last week, Democrat candidate Stacey Abrams promised to oppose constitutional official English in the General Assembly as governor and boasted of fighting against allowing voters to answer a ballot question when she was in the legislature.
We thought it surprising that the AJC did not include a quote or position from Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp on the voter-popular issue, so Wednesday, October 3, this writer sent a policy question and request for a quote to the Kemp campaign.
Brian Kemp – photo, Facebook
“Do you support allowing Georgia voters to decide on a ballot question that would amend the state constitution to make English the official language of Georgia government and which would end current practice of offering the written road rules portion of the DDS drivers license exam in (eleven) foreign languages?
If so, will you use the power of the governor’s office to promote that cause for the 2020 election?”
We have not received a response from candidate Kemp. Curious voters should ask him.
All concerned should be aware that Georgia has a 1996 statute in place that makes English the official language, but also says officials can ignore that directive:
“State agencies, counties, municipal corporations, and political subdivisions of this state are authorized to use or to print official documents and forms in languages other than the official language, at the discretion of their governing authorities.”
The concept of allowing voters to have a voice on the matter is quite popular in the Georgia senate. Introduced by state Senator Josh McKoon, in 2016 SR 675 passed the Georgia senate with every Republican member voting “YEA,” But it was not allowed a vote on the House floor.
McKoon’s Resolution created a ballot question voters would have considered that year which read:
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that English is the official language of the State of Georgia?”
All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote “Yes.”
All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote “No.”
If such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall become a part of the Constitution of this state.”
Most conservatives would like to have the chance to answer that question in November, 2020.
Readers who are not closely involved in Gold Dome politics are likely asking why they have not already been permitted to vote on making official English part of the state constitution. It helps to know that the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce are vehemently opposed to that idea.
It may also help to know that in metro-Atlanta’s DeKalb School District alone, administrators are dealing with students from 180 different countries who speak 140 different languages.
Without a constitutional mandate that English is the official language of government, readers can make their own predictions on how long it is before the angry marches in the streets begin with the demand that government in Georgia accommodate every imaginable language with the cry that “diversity is our strength.”
It seems like something a Republican candidate for Georgia governor would comment on. Comprende?
D.A. King of Marietta is president of the Georgia-based Dustin Inman Society.
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Advanced voting in general election begins Oct. 15
Election 2018, News, Politics October 9, 2018
Brian Kemp
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Advanced voting for the 2018 General Election begins next week and Georgia is the home of one of the most intriguing – and expensive — gubernatorial races in the nation.
Pollsters say the race is neck and neck. On Sept. 6, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Channel 2 Action News poll had it 45 percent for Republican Brian Kemp, 45 percent for Democrat Stacey Abrams, 2 percent for independent Ted Metz and 7.5 percent undecided.
Stacey Abrams
Folks who make a living analyzing political races say the Democrats had the momentum and that anger over President Donald Trump’s policies was driving increased voter registration on the left. But that was before the bitterly divisive hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Infuriated by the “guilty until proven innocent,” sexual assault accusations of the liberal left, Republicans have seized the momentum and can be expected to turnout in record numbers to support Kemp.
Health insurance is a key policy difference between the two leading candidates. Abrams supports Medicaid expansion. Kemp says it would bankrupt the state.
Kemp carries the endorsement of President Donald Trump into the election. Abrams is the darling of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, Democrats who hope to change the color of Georgia from red to blue.
Advanced voting will be held Monday through Friday from Oct 15 through November 2 between the hours of 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Voters may also cast a ballot on Saturday Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. All advanced voting in Dawson County will take place at the Board of Elections Office, 96 Academy office in Dawsonville.
For questions about your voting location and/or status, call 706-344-3640.
The General Election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 6 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., when all precincts will be open.
A large number of candidates will appear on the ballot, but are running unopposed. They include State Senator Steve Gooch, State Representative Kevin Tanner, Northeast Judicial District Attorney Lee Darragh, County Commissioner District 1 Sharon R. Fausett, County Commissioner-elect District 3 Tim Satterfield, Board of Education At-Large William S. Wade, Board of Education District 3 Karen Armstrong.
In addition to choosing political candidates, voters will have an opportunity to vote on five proposed Constitutional amendments and two statewide referendums.
DAWSON COUNTY BALLOT
Governor
Brian Kemp (R ) Stacey Abrams(D) Ted Met (I)
Lieutenant. Gov.
Geoff Duncan (R) Sarah Riggs Amico (D)
Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger (R ) John Barrow (D)
Attorney General
Chris Carr (R ) Charlie Bailey (D)
Agriculture Commissioner
Gary Black (R ) Fred Swann (D)
Insurance Commissioner
Jim Beck (R ) Janice Laws (D ) Donnie Foster (I)
State School Superintendent
Richard Woods (R ) Otha Thornton, Jr. (D)
Labor Commissioner
Mark Butler (R ) Richard Keatley
U.S. House of Representatives 9th District
Doug Collins (R ) Josh McCall (D)
State Representatives 7th District
David Ralston (R ) Rick Day (D)
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Kemp bus tour starts in Dawsonville Monday
News, Politics September 30, 2018
DAWSONVILE, Ga. – Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp will kick off his 27-day, across-the-state, “Putting Georgians First” bus tour in Dawson County Monday morning.
Kemp will greet supporters at 8:30 am. at John Megel Chevrolet, 1392 Ga. Hwy. 400 South to start a busy week of connecting Georgia voters.
In announcing the tour, Kemp said, “I look forward to sharing my story, vision, and plan to grow jobs, lower taxes and healthcare costs, strengthen rural Georgia, invest in public education, protect HOPE, and keep Georgia families safe on the Putting Georgians First Bus Tour. As governor, I will work around the clock to ensure that our best days are always ahead.”
That Dawsonville stop will be followed by Monday appearances in Pickens County (10 a.m.), Fannin County (noon), Gilmer County (2 p.m.), Murray County (3:30 p.m.) and Whitfield County (5:30 p.m.).
In the race, which promises to be one of the most visible in the nation, there is a stark difference in the two candidates. Georgia House Speaker David Ralston said, Georgians are going to have the clearest choice that they’ve probably ever had in the general election for election for the office of governor.”
Kemp’s opponent is Democrat Stacey Abrams, a far left-wing Yale law school graduate who supports a strict ban on assault rifles, expanding medicaid and demands the carvings of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson be sandblasted from Stone Mountain.
Kemp defines his opponent as a liberal who is “backed by billionaires and socialists who want to make Georgia into California.”
Kemp, a populist and strong supporter of President Donald Trump, says the governor’s race is a battle for “literally the soul of our state.” He supports lowering taxes and strengthening rural counties and opposes stricter gun control and wants to “round up criminal illegals” and have them deported.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
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