Candidate Qualifying Begins Monday in Dawsonville
News, Politics March 6, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. –It’s qualifying week for political hopefuls in Dawson County and all across Georgia.
Election Superintendent Glenda Ferguson said incumbents and newcomers seeking public office must officially declare their candidacy between Monday, March 7 and Friday, March 11. Qualifying will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Friday when qualifying ends at noon.
Dist. 4 County Commissioner Julie Nix will seek a fifth term in office but two familiar faces will be leaving the Board of Commissioners. After 12 years in office, Commission Chairman Mike Berg said he will not seek reelection. and Dist. 2 Commissioner James Swafford, who served two terms, has announced he is stepping down also.
The county will also lose a veteran law enforcement officer in Billy Carlisle, who is retiring after 18-years of service as Sheriff. Jeff Johnson, Tony Wooten, Frank Sosebee and Jeff Perry have announced they will campaign for the open position.
Other county offices up for election this year include: Clerk of Court, Coroner, Surveyor, Magistrate Judge and Probate Judge. Both State Senator Steve Gooch, who represents the 51st District, and State Rep. Kevin Tanner who represents Dist. 9 are also up for reelection.
Trump Easily Defeats Cruz in Dawson County
News, Politics March 2, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — A bitterly divisive presidential primary, particularly among Republican candidates, has led to massive voter turnout all across the nation and Dawson County was no exception.
More than half the county’s 12,637 registered voters turned out yesterday and carried New York billionaire Donald Trump to a landslide victory.
Trump, who won seven of the 11 states that conducted primaries on SEC Tuesday, towered above the five-man field, receiving 2,649 votes or 45.4 percent. His nearest rival was Texas Senator Ted Cruz who posted victories in his home state of Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska. Cruz on 1,465 votes or 25.12 percent. Florida’s Senator Marco Rubio finished third with 1,094 followed by Dr. Ben Carson 311 and former Ohio Governor John Kasich with 266.
Glenda Ferguson said this was the largest voter turnout for a presidential election since she became the county’s election superintendent in 2007. Ferguson said she was surprised but not too surprised.
“We had been warned by Michael Barnes, Director of the Center for Elections Systems at Kennesaw State University to not take the day lightly and he was right,” she said. “The lines were full and steady all day long.”