Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Four vie for House District 129 seat today

Runoff would be in three weeks if no one wins majority today

The Columbus-area legislative delegation could be back to full strength Tuesday night.

The vacant Georgia House District 129 seat will be filled in a special election today. The seat was vacated nearly five months ago when Vance Smith resigned to take over as commissioner of the Department of Transportation.

Four Republicans — Columbus publishing consultant and talk show host Jerry Luquire, former legislator and Hamilton businessman Earl Davis, Pine Mountain wellness center owner Steve Earles, and Smith’s son and managing partner of the Dallas Chipley Group Kip Smith — are fighting it out for the opportunity to serve the final year of the two-year term. The election for the district that includes parts of Muscogee, Harris and Troup counties is Tuesday.

If none of the candidates wins 50 percent plus one vote, a runoff would be held in three weeks.

Polls in all three counties are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Muscogee County

Only four Columbus precincts are in the House district. Those polling places are Precinct 9 at Northside Baptist Church, 959 54th St.; Precinct 10 at St. Mark United Methodist Church, 6795 Whitesville Road; Precinct 11 at Wynnbrook Baptist Church, 500 River Knoll Way; and Precinct 46 at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 8827 Heiferhorn Way.

The House seat is the only election on the ballot in Muscogee County.

Harris County

More than 50 percent of the district’s 32,000 registered voters live in Harris County. The area south of Waverly Hall is the only part of the county not in the district.

All of the county’s 12 precincts will be open on election day.

In addition to the House race, there are municipal elections in Hamilton, Pine Mountain and Waverly Hall.

Troup County

Only the southern portion of Troup County is in the House district. In addition to the vacant seat there are municipal elections in West Point and Hogansville.