MOULTRIE — Fourteen weeks of campaigning culminates Tuesday in a special election runoff between front-runner Ray Gene Williams and Johnny Hardin to become representative of District 6 on the county commission.
The election to fill the unexpired term vacated upon the death of Commissioner Merle Hall is considered pivotal, especially in the decision to zone the county. Both candidates support a measure of zoning but to varying degrees.
Colquitt County Elections Superintendent Wes Lewis said any voter who was eligible to vote in the March 21 special election can vote in the runoff — even if that person didn’t vote in that election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.
In the election leading up to this, Williams got 41.48 percent of the votes over Hardin’s 34.21 percent. Both candidates are hoping the runoff will attract a good turnout. Already, 131 people voted in the early election — almost double the number who voted early in the first election, Colquitt County Registrar Paula McCullogh said Friday.
“During the campaign I went to the citizens and talked with them and told them my stance on issues, on zoning,” Hardin said. “I told them they had to put their trust and confidence in one of us. I’ve asked them to let that be me. I think it’s time now that the voters go to the poll and make their decision.
“We’ve got a lot at stake, not just for the people up here now but for future generations to come,” he said.
Hardin, a Democrat and longtime manager of Jackson Transmissions, said he’s not fond of the 1977 zoning ordinance, which the commission is considering enforcing throughout the county, and wouldn’t vote for it in its current form. Other existing codes can be incorporated into the county’s, such as Southern Building Codes, state laws and the local subdivision ordinance.
Hardin supports citizen involvement and regional expert guidance in drafting a workable county ordinance.
“I wouldn’t want to see us hurt ourselves in any kind of way with zoning,” he said. “I don’t want to rush into anything. We’ve been without it for the 56 years I’ve been here, and I think we can slow down, take our time on this and put something together that everybody will be happy with.”
Williams, a Republican multimillionaire agribusinessman and real estate investor, said he knows the “fat lady hasn’t sang,” but he feels pretty good about the race. The board needs proven businesspersons on the board, he said.
“I feel like I’d be more for the people — more like Merle that way,” Williams said.
“I think I’m more experienced to handle the job and more experienced to handle our tax dollars, and I’ll have more time to do it. He has a full-time job, and he does,” he said. “I don’t want to sound too up on myself, but if I didn’t think we needed a difference, I wouldn’t be running.
“I believe in the common sense rules, regulations and ordinances drawn up by Colquitt County people, not by experts from out of town. I haven’t been wishy-washy on my zoning stance,” Williams said, asserting there should be no straight-across-the-board zoning.
Local News
Runoff election Tuesday
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