Here are the latest numbers statewide and district-wide for elections of interest in Thomas County

Election 2002 – General Election Results

Thomas County voters came out with a 53% turnout on Election Day to elect state and local candidates. The county joined in the state to give its vote to the major Republican candidates that turned out much of the incumbent establishment in the state, but retained most of its local incumbents. Probate Judge Vicki Burnette said Tuesday night that the 9,979 voters that turned out in Thomas County was the largest turnout for a non-Presidential year in her memory. The major change locally was Republican John Bulloch winning the State Senate District 11 seat from incumbent Democrat Harold Ragan. That victory was one of the factors that by the end of the week caused the State Senate to have a Republican majority. Statewide, Republican Sonny Perdue beat incumbent Democrat Governor Roy Barnes to become the first Republican Governor from Georgia in 130 years. Republican Saxby Chambliss beat incumbent Democratic US Senator Max Cleland, Republican Kathy Cox took the State School Superintendent’s office, a Republican beat the Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Murphy for election to Murphy’s northwest Georgia House district. Democrat Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor held to his post, as did Democratic State Attorney General Thurbert Baker. In the Legislature, Democrats retained control of both houses at the end of Election Day, but Republicans gained several seats. Then, by the end of the week, three Democrat Senators who won their seats on Election Day switched their party affiliation to Republican, giving control of the Senate to Republicans. During the next week, one more Senate Democrat switched to the Republican Party, making the Senate majority Republican, 30-26. The House stayed majority Democratic.

--Results in State Senate District 11 were delayed Election Night until a final late precinct report in Colquitt County. Republican John Bulloch of Thomas County wound up with a 76 vote margin over Democrat Harold Ragan of Cairo by the end of Election Night. A recount of the ballots in State Senate District 11 showed the same outcome district wide as just after election day. Over the whole district, the recount showed 14,906 for John Bulloch, and 14,830 for Harold Ragan, so a 76 vote margin for Bulloch remained over Ragan after the recount. In Thomas County, there was one less absentee ballot counted for Bulloch than there was counted on election night; for Ragan, his numbers stayed the same. In Grady County, there was one more ballot for Ragan counted in the recount and the ballots for Bulloch remained the same. In Colquitt County, there were two ballots less for Ragan and no change for Bulloch. In Miller County, there was one more ballot counted for each candidate than had been counted on election night. In Decatur, Early, Mitchell and Seminole Counties, the ballot counts remained the same as they were on election night.

--The voters in the county commission’s newly-drawn District 7 elected Robert Holton, Sr., to the board. Voters kept County Commission Chairman Josh Herring in his District 5 seat and kept County Commissioner Bobby Brown in his District 3 seat. Also keeping his seat on the County Board of Education District 3 seat was Kevin Reid.

--In the State House District 141, post 1, election, incumbent Democrat Wallace Sholar won the district, but won Thomas County in a close vote – only by 52 votes.

--In State House District 141, post 2, incumbent Democrat Hugh Broome won the district but Republican challenger Ed Titus won Thomas County.

--In State House District 137, Republican Ed Rynders won the district and Thomas County.

--Kid’s Voting was a major success in Thomas County. Several precincts had voting booths for kids to vote for the same election contests as the adults. The results have been posted on the Kid’s Voting/Thomas County web site here. The general web site for Kid’s Voting/Thomas County is here.

--Republicans took two of the four open Georgia Congressional seats in 2002. Instead of the Democrats that the legislature hoped would be elected when it drew the district lines, Republicans Max Burns in the Twelfth District and Phil Gingrey in the Eleventh District won victories. Republicans now have a 8-5 majority in the state’s congressional delegation - the same number of seats they had before the election. Democrats picked up two seats as former Macon mayor Jim Marshall won in the Third District and State Senator David Scott won in metro Atlanta's new 13th District.

--Republican Kathy Cox defeated teachers association executive Barbara Christmas. Five incumbents – four Democrats and a Republican – won reelection: Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Attorney General Thurbert Baker, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin, and Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. In the Public Service Commission races, Republican State Representative Doug Everett beat incumbent Democrat Earleen Sizemore, and incumbent Democrat Lauren “Bubba” McDonald lost to Republican Angela Speir.

Here are the official and certified numbers statewide, district-wide and locally for elections of interest in Thomas County

State Senator - District 11

100% of precincts reporting

Harold Ragan (D) 14,830 49.9%

John Bulloch (R) 14,906 50.1%

100% of precincts reporting

PR=Precincts Reporting

TP=Total Precincts

Ragan (D) Bulloch (R)

14,830 49.9% 14,906 50.1%

County PR TP

COLQUITT 20 20 2,387 2,493

DECATUR 16 16 2,872 2,575

EARLY 12 12 1,719 925

GRADY 15 15 2,722 2,294

MILLER 2 2 726 624

MITCHELL 12 12 1,321 1,043

SEMINOLE 6 6 1,206 796

THOMAS 21 21 1,877 4,156

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State Representative - District 137

100% of precincts reporting

Craig S. Mathis (D) 4,909 38.8%

Ed Rynders (R) 7,758 61.2%

Thomas County vote:

Craig S. Mathis 157

Ed Rynders 178

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State Representative - District 141 Post 1

100% of precincts reporting

Wallace Sholar (D) 9,735 55.2%

Lanny Nicholson (R) 7,900 44.8%

Thomas County vote:

Wallace Sholar 3,464

Lanny Nicholson 3,412

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State Representative - District 141 Post 2

100% of precincts reporting

Hugh D. Broome (D) 9,682 54.8%

Ed Titus (R) 7,977 45.2%

Thomas County vote:

Hugh Broome 2,926

Ed Titus 4,014

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Thomas County Commissioner District 3

Bobby Brown 784

Write-in Votes 262

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Thomas County Commissioner District 5

Josh Herring 768

Write-in Votes 124

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Thomas County Commission District 7

Robert Holton, Sr. 693

Scott Sterling 579

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Thomas County Board of Education

Charles Evens 317

Kevion Reid 431

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UNITED STATES SENATOR

100 % of precincts reporting

MAX CLELAND (D) 932,242 45.9 %

SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R) 1,071,281 52.7 %

SANDY THOMAS (Lib) 27,827 1.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Max Cleland 4,715

Saxby Chambliss 5,017

Claude Thomas 104

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GOVERNOR

100 % of precincts reporting

ROY E. BARNES (D) 937,057 46.5 %

SONNY PERDUE (R) 1,030,001 51.1 %

GARY HAYES (Lib) 47,963 2.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Roy Barnes 4,430

Sonny Perdue 5,237

Garrett Hayes 166

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

100 % of precincts reporting

MARK TAYLOR (D) 1,041,313 52.0 %

STEVE STANCIL (R) 905,675 45.2 %

HERBIE GALLOWAY (Lib) 54,857 2.7 %

Thomas County vote:

Mark Taylor 5,274

Steve Stancil 4,345

Herbert Galloway III 116

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SECRETARY OF STATE

100 % of precincts reporting

CATHY COX (D) 1,225,306 61.1 %

CHARLIE BAILEY (R) 717,809 35.8 %

MIKE PITTS (Lib) 63,114 3.1 %

Thomas County vote:

Cathy Cox 5,932

Charlie Bailey 3,639

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ATTORNEY GENERAL

100 % of precincts reporting

THURBERT BAKER (D) 1,094,029 55.6 %

SHANNON GOESSLING (R) 875,221 44.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Thurbert Baker 4,817

Shannon Goessling 4,678

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COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE

100 % of precincts reporting

TOMMY IRVIN (D) 1,138,764 57.6 %

DEANNA STRICKLAND (R) 770,022 38.9 %

DOUG MORTON (Lib) 69,525 3.5 %

Thomas County vote:

Tommy Irvin 5,864

Deanna Strickland 3,661

Doug Morton 152

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COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE

100 % of precincts reporting

LOIS COHEN (D) 657,896 33.0 %

JOHN W. OXENDINE (R) 1,282,279 64.4 %

HELMUT FORREN (Lib) 52,282 2.6 %

Thomas County vote:

Lois Cohen 3,328

John Oxendine 6,102

Helmut Forren 129

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STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

100 % of precincts reporting

BARBARA CHRISTMAS (D) 859,760 42.9 %

KATHY COX (R) 1,085,164 54.2 %

LYNN KROGSENG (Lib) 56,905 2.8 %

Thomas County vote:

Barbara Christmas 4,011

Kathy Cox 5,540

Lynn Krogseng 116

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COMMISSIONER OF LABOR

100 % of precincts reporting

MIKE THURMOND (D) 1,007,567 51.1 %

RICHARD MCGEE (R) 896,326 45.5 %

WILLIAM COSTA (Ind) 66,708 3.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Michael Thurmond 4,728

Richard McGee 4,699

William Costa 123

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PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

100 % of precincts reporting

EARLEEN SIZEMORE (D) 913,223 47.6 %

DOUG EVERETT (R) 1,005,962 52.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Earleen Sizemore 4,428

H. Doug Everett 4,936

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PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

100 % of precincts reporting

LAUREN MCDONALD (D) 911,772 47.0 %

ANGELA SPEIR (R) 924,015 47.6 %

JIM HARRIS (Lib) 105,126 5.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Lauren McDonald, Jr. 4,539

Angela Speir 4,604

James Harris 286

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Constitutional Amendment #1

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that certain officeholders or candidates who are defaulters for federal, state, or local taxes shall be ineligible to hold any public office in this state?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #1 - YES 1,523,416 78.3 %

AMENDMENT #1 - NO 421,072 21.7 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 7,111

No 2,190

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Constitutional Amendment #2

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that qualified low-income building projects may be classified as a separate class of property for ad valorem property tax purposes and different rates, methods, and assessment dates may be provided for such building projects?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #2 - YES 867,461 46.4 %

AMENDMENT #2 - NO 1,002,934 53.6 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 4,011

No 4,226

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Constitutional Amendment #3

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that counties and municipalities may establish community redevelopment tax incentive programs under which increased taxation shall apply to properties maintained in a blighted condition and decreased taxation shall apply for a time to formerly blighted property which has been rehabilitated?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #3 - YES 1,114,404 59.6 %

AMENDMENT #3 - NO 755,782 40.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 4,817

No 4,226

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Constitutional Amendment #4

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that the Genral Assembly may provide by general law for the separate classification and taxation of properties on which there have been releases of hazardous waste, constituents, or substances in the environment so as to encourage cleanup, reuse, and redevelopment of such properties?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #4 - YES 1,304,825 68.6 %

AMENDMENT #4 - NO 598,292 31.4 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 5,929

No 3,283

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Constitutional Amendment #5

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that commercial dockside facilities consisting of real and personal property whose primary use is the landing and processing of seafood may be classified as a separate class of property for ad velorem property tax purposes and different rates, methods, and assessment dates may be provided for such dockside facilites?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #5 - YES 797,567 43.3 %

AMENDMENT #5 - NO 1,043,811 56.7 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 3,992

No 4,966

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Constitutional Amendment #6

"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide for a dog and cat reproductive sterilization support program to control dog and cat overpopulation and thereby reduce the number of animals housed and killed in animal shelters and provide funds for the program from the voluntary purchase of special license plates and other sources?"

100 % of precincts reporting

AMENDMENT #6 - YES 1,354,725 70.8 %

AMENDMENT #6 - NO 557,648 29.2 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 6,685

No 2,578

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Statewide Referendum A

"Shall the Act be approved which changes the state-wide $10,000.00 homestead exemption from all school district ad valorem taxation for educational purposes for persons 62 years of age and older by changing the $10,000.00 gross household limitation to a $10,000 net income, excluding certain retirement income, of the applicant and spouse thereof?"

100 % of precincts reporting

REFERENDUM A - YES 1,500,287 79.5 %

REFERENDUM A - NO 386,983 20.5 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 7,460

No 1,738

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Statewide Referendum B

"Shall the Act be approved which provides that an exemption from certain ad valorem taxation for the surviving spouses of military personnel killed while serving in a war or armed conflict shall extend to the surviving spouses of such persons who otherwise dies as a result of such war or armed conflict?"

100 % of precincts reporting

REFERENDUM B - YES 1,583,826 83.0 %

REFERENDUM B - NO 325,042 17.0 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 7,469

No 1,737

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Statewide Referendum C

"Shall the Act be approved which grants an exemption from ad valorem taxation on certain historic property owned by a nonprofit corporation which houses a medical museum or medical society?"

100 % of precincts reporting

REFERENDUM C - YES 832,812 44.8 %

REFERENDUM C - NO 1,024,805 55.2 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 3,498

No 5,412

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Statewide Referendum D

"Shall the Act be approved which grants an exemption from ad valorem taxation on commercial fishing vessels whose primary use is the catching of seafood?"

100 % of precincts reporting

REFERENDUM D - YES 610,032 32.9 %

REFERENDUM D - NO 1,241,512 67.1 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 3,274

No 5,767

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Statewide Referendum E

"Shall the Act be approved which increases the total value of exemption from the payment of ad valorem taxes on certain tangible personal property owned by a taxpayer within the county from $500.00 total value to $7,500 total value?"

100 % of precincts reporting

REFERENDUM D - YES 1,372,470 72.5 %

REFERENDUM D - NO 521,799 27.5 %

Thomas County vote:

Yes 6,212

No 2,883

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