Jasper, Like Georgia, Goes Republican

Just over half of the registered voters in Jasper County voted in the 2014 General Election.

Jasper, along with Georgia, voted majority Republican making the most influential impact on the Senate race where the control will now go to the Republicans.

Jasper County had 3,909 ballots cast with a number of those being early votes.

Locally, Bruce Henry (R) won with 447 votes over Charles Hill (D) with 284 votes for the District 2 County Commission seat. Craig Salmon (R) ran unopposed and received 634 votes for the District 4 Commission seat.

Jasper’s results for state officials are as follows:

For U.S. Senate, David Perdue (R) received 2,561 and Michelle Nunn (D) 1,213.

For Governor, Nathan Deal (R) received 2,554, Jason Carter (D) 1,195 and Andrew Hunt (L), 91.

For Lieutenant Governor, Casey Cagle (R) received 2,747 votes and Connie Stokes (D), 1,074.

For Georgia Secretary of State, Brian Kemp (R) received 2,703 and Doreen Carter (D), 1,118.

For Attorney General, Samuel Olens (R), received 2,650 votes and Gregory Hecht, 1,177.

For Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black (R) received 2,735 and Christopher Irvin (D) 1,079.

For Commissioner of Insurance, Ralph Hudgens (R) received 2,621 votes, Elizabeth Johnson (D) received 1,081 votes and Edward Metz (L) received 121 votes.

For State School Superintendent, Richard Woods (R) received 2,631 votes and Valarie Wilson 1,197 votes.

For Commission of Labor, Mark Butler (R) received 2,660 votes and Robbin Shipp received 1,154.

For U.S. Representative – District 10, Jody Hice (R) received 2,718 votes and Keneth Dious (D) 1,100.

For Soil and Water, William Whitten earned 2,670 votes and Melvin Wynens earned 2,212 votes.

Both the State Representative, Susan Holmes (R) and State Senator, Burt Jones (R) ran unopposed with their votes received being 3,173 and 3,150 respectively.

There were Yes / No votes for two Amendments to the Constitution including, Amendment #1, Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to prohibit the General Assembly from increasing the maximum state income tax rate. Jasperties voted “Yes,” with 2,864 votes and “no,” with 933.

Amendment #2 stated Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow additional reckless driving penalties or fees to be added to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund to pay for care and rehabilitative services for Georgia citizens who have survived neurotrauma with head or spinal cord injuries? Jasper County voted “Yes,” with 2,557 votes to 1,208 “no” votes.

Both amendments passed statewide.

A statewide referendum was included on the ballot which read, Shall property owned by the University System of Georgia and utilized by providers of college and university student housing and other facilities continue to be exempt from taxation to keep costs affordable? Jasper voted “yes” with 2,690 votes and “no” 1,091 votes. It also was approved statewide.

There was also a city council race in Shady Dale, and Alex McLendon beat Barbara Williams for that post.