MOULTRIE — The City of Berlin re-elected its mayor in elections held Tuesday, while Berlin’s and Moultrie’s City Councils will see new faces joining them.
In Moultrie results, Susie Magwood-Thomas was elected as the next city council member to represent District 1, Post 2. She beat out John F. Bridges, Margaret Mathis and Lamonte Alderman to take the seat vacated by Councilwoman Betty Haggins.
Magwood-Thomas said she was in a total state of shock when the unofficial results were announced. She praised her campaign team for all of their hard work and she plans to work to make Northwest Moultrie and all of Moultrie a safer and healthier place to live.
“I want to make this a place where all of Moultrie can live in a peaceful, quiet existence,” Magwood-Thomas said.
Magwood-Thomas received 116 of the 276 total votes cast Tuesday, including 49 absentee ballots. Bridges was second with 81 votes, Mathis received 76 votes and Alderman received three votes. The total number of votes cast was about 11 percent of the registered voters eligible to vote in the election.
Bridges said he was happy the election was over but was disappointed in the low turnout. He said all the candidates worked hard to get people to vote, including getting yard signs out, radio broadcasts, speaking at churches, holding rallies and handing out flyers.
“We reached a lot of people,” Bridges said, “but the turnout was not what it needs to be for us to work together.”
Despite not winning the election, Bridges said he takes his hat off to Magwood-Thomas, congratulating her on her victory. He also extends his hand to her if and when she needs any of his expertise and assistance.
In the City of Berlin, Mayor Dale Williams won his bid for re-election, receiving 67 out of a total 99 votes cast. He defeated challenger and former Berlin Police Chief Jerry Evers, who had 29 votes cast for him.
Williams said he felt good about his re-election after getting some things started or under discussion in his first term as mayor. With a second term, he can now work to get them done and make Berlin a better and cleaner place for people to live.
The turnout for the elections was much better than expected, and Williams said he was proud of everyone who came out to vote. He thinks Evers campaigning helped to stir up the people of Berlin to vote, and that is exactly what the town needed.
“We need to stir up the people and get them interested,” Williams said.
Evers said he congratulates Williams on his re-election, and he was proud both ran a good, clean campaign without any mudslinging. He said he addressed the concerns the residents of Berlin were concerned about, and he thinks that is what stirred up the residents to get out and vote.
Even with the defeat, Evers said he plans to remain involved in the community and will work to make Berlin a better place for everyone to live.
In the Berlin City Council elections, Tina Bridwell and Curtis Akridge were elected to the council. They beat out incumbents Reggie Merritt and Lonnie Cannon and challenger Ray Meeks.
Bridwell, who has worked with the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department for 24 years, received the most votes at 61 in unofficial results. Akridge was second with 39 votes cast, Merritt received 37 votes as a write-in candidate, Cannon was given 29 votes cast and Meeks received 21 votes.
All elections results are considered unofficial until they are certified through the Georgia Secretary of State’s office today.
Local News
Related Photos
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Oscar Bryant, at left, receives his voting card from election volunteer Alma, McCray, at right, and Joyce Tyson Tuesday. Residents of Northwest Moultrie went to the polls to elect a new city council representative, and the City of Berlin went to the polls to elect the mayor and two council positions. John Oxford
Discussion
Magwood-Thomas wins in Moultrie
Williams re-elected Berlin mayor
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