No one qualified for the Screven County school board seat in District 1, but incumbent Frank Johnson said he’ll run as a write-in candidate.
Johnson said he was ill during most of the qualifying session, which began at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 28, and continued through noon on Friday, July 2. He said qualifying “slipped my mind Friday” and by the time he remembered, it was about 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Johnson said he will take an ad in the Sylvania Telephone next week announcing his intentions to run as a write-in candidate. If no one else advertises as a write-in candidate and if he gets at least one vote, he would win the election on Nov. 2.
In District 4, school board Chairman Lindy Sheppard was the only person to qualify. In District 7, Tom Avret announced he will not seek another term. Qualifying to run for the District 7 seat were: Brian Bohannon, C. Dallas LeMaster and Craig Martinson.
Bohannon retired after 35 years as a school bus driver and teacher, and Craig Martinson is a dentist. LeMaster is an IT specialist. To win without a runoff, one candidate will have to receive 50 percent plus one vote.
Meanwhile, early voting continues in Screven County through Friday, July 16, for the July 20 primary. Turnout has been low, with only a couple of dozen people casting ballots at the courthouse or by mail.
Voters can cast ballots in Room 114 of the courthouse from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is no voting on Monday, July 19 and election day is Tuesday, July 20.
A number of state and national races are on the ballot, including elections for: U.S. Senate; U.S. House; governor; lieutenant governor; secretary of state; attorney general; agriculture, insurance, public service and labor commissioners; school superintendent; and state House and Senate.
A sample ballot can be found in this edition of the Sylvania Telephone. Next week, the newspaper will feature brief biographies of state and national candidates.
Sample ballots also can be viewed online. Go to My Voter Page at www.sos.georgia.gov and type in your name, county and date of birth.
Local races won’t get interesting until the Nov. 2 general election, when incumbent Roland Stubbs, a Republican, will take on challenger Jimmy Bennett, a Democrat, in the District 7 county commission race. Incumbents Will Boyd and Gregg Ellison face no opposition for the county commission.