Banks voters to help decide DA, state senate races

There is a runoff in district attorney’s race in the Piedmont Judicial Circuit between Donna Sikes and Brad Smith. The circuit covers Banks, Jackson and Barrow counties.

Sikes won the top vote earner in the July 15 primary but not gain 50 percent of the total. Smith finished second in the three-way race while Rick Bridgeman, who was appointed to the position last fall by the governor, was third and eliminated from the race.

Bridgeman actually won the most votes in Banks County with 1,083 followed by Sikes with 1,038 and Smith with 448.

Banks County voters will also help decide the runoff for the State Senate 50 District race between Republican incumbent Nancy Schaefer and challenger Jim Butterworth. Schaefer has served two terms in the State Senate.
With no Democratic candidate, the runoff winner between Schaefer and Butterworth will win the race.

Voters who cast a Democratic ballot locally on July 15 will get to take part in the U.S. Senate runoff between Vernon Jones and Jim Martin who finished as the top two vote earners in a five-candidate primary.

The winner between Jones and Martin will face Republican Saxby Chambliss and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

If a person voted in the July 15 primary, he or she must vote in the same party in the runoff. A registered vote who did not take part in the July 15 primary may select either ballot Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Early voting continues through Friday this week at the Banks County Courthouse in the Registrar’s Office.