Don’t forget about election runoffs in Columbus, Harris County. Here’s what voters need to know
Five residents came out first thing Monday morning to vote early in the Columbus Council District 4 special election runoff to fill the unexpired term of retired Councilor Evelyn Turner Pugh, but only three could cast ballots.
That’s because the other two lived in Council District 1, even though they vote at one of the five precincts involved in the runoff.
That’s one tip to remember as early voting begins in the Aug. 11 runoff between Toyia Tucker and Elaine Gillespie: Although all of District 4’s voters are assigned to those five precincts, not everyone who votes at those precincts lives in District 4. Some reside in other council districts.
The five precincts are:
- Faith Tabernacle, 1603 Floyd Road
- St. John AME Church, 3980 Steam Mill Road
- Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, 4400 Old Cusseta Road
- Holsey Monumental CME Church, 6028 Buena Vista Road
- Canaan Baptist Church, 2835 Branton Woods Drive
Residents voting at those precincts who aren’t sure whether they’re in District 4 can call the elections office at 706-653-4392 or go online to the Georgia Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page,” www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp, where they can type in their registration information to see which district they live in.
Early runoff voting continues 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Aug. 7 in the Community Room of the City Service Center at 3111 Citizens Way, off Macon Road by the Columbus Public Library.
Voters should bring a photo ID. They are encouraged to wear masks to impede the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but masks cannot be required. Elections workers will have masks to offer those who have none. They also will ask voters to maintain social distancing at the poll, and they will sanitize the voting machines after every use.
Councilor Pugh retired in October 2019 because of poor health, and the special election’s to decide who serves the remaining 4½ months in the unexpired term.
Valerie Thompson was appointed to serve the district until the June 9 special election when she was on the ballot with Tucker and Gillespie. Tucker got 2,534 votes to Thompson’s 2,030 and Gillespie’s 1,046, falling short of the 50% plus one vote needed to avoid a runoff.
But Thompson, pastor of the Revelation Missionary Baptist Church that Tucker attends, didn’t want to face Tucker in the runoff, so she withdrew, leaving Gillespie the next leading contender.
Gillespie initially indicated she also would withdraw, but later changed her mind, deciding to stay in the race to see who will take the seat after the runoff results are certified Aug. 17.
The winner will serve only until January, because the regularly scheduled election for the next four-year term also was held June 9, between Tucker and Gillespie, and Tucker won that race with 3,723 votes to Gillespie’s 1,785.
The special election is expected to cost Columbus around $50,000.
Harris County
Harris County is having a runoff for the Republican nomination for the county commission’s District 4 seat.
The leading candidates in a four-person race June 9 were Richie Grantham and Bobby Irions. Grantham got 514 votes to Irions’ 383, leaving Grantham with 45 percent and Irions with 34, according to posted tallies.
The commission seat for 20 years was held by Harry Lange, who chose not to seek re-election.
Early in-person voting in the runoff started Tuesday and continues through Aug. 7, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the County Administration Building at 104 N. College St. in Hamilton. Anyone needing more information may call the county elections office at 706-628-5210.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 7:00 AM.