Special Election for Legislative Vacancies

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, October 14, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. No one expected to be going to the polls to elect new legislators this year, but it has to be done. On Tuesday, September 20th a special election was held to fill the void left by Representative Bobby Franklin, who had served as a strong conservative in the Georgia House of Representatives since 1997. But Bobby’s sudden recent death, attributed to an unexpected heart attack, left his House seat open. He will be, sorely, missed by Georgia conservatives.

With six candidates running for Bobby’s seat, no one received a majority vote, so a run-off will be held October 18th between the candidates, John Carson and Robert Lamutt. If you live in House District 43, please remember to go back to the polls and vote next Tuesday for the candidate who will represent your values.

A general/special election to fill other vacancies in the Georgia General Assembly will be November 8th when replacements will be elected for senators and representatives who have been appointed to other positions in state government.

Three Republicans will vie for the House District 10 seat, recently vacated by Representative Rick Austin who resigned in early September to run for the Senate seat in District 50. A Democrat and six Republicans will try to win in House District 25, that’s been held since 1993 by Representative James Mills, a staunch conservative who was recently appointed to the Pardons and Paroles Board, effective January 1st.

Four Republicans and one Democrat are on the ballot in District 50 to replace Senator Butterworth, who was named Georgia National Guard Adjutant General in early September. On October 3rd Senator Seabaugh of District 28 was appointed to the office of deputy state treasurer, after the former deputy treasurer was promoted. The several candidates running for his Senate seat have only a few weeks to campaign, which is a very short time for voters to determine which candidate reflects their values.

If a special election is scheduled for your district, please go to www.georgiainsight.org and access the June 2010 newsletter, page four, to find the candidate survey used before last year’s Primary election. Print it and use it to learn how candidates in your district will vote if they are elected. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.