Michael King, assisted by Adell Fuller, votes Tuesday morning in Doerun on the Transportation Special Purpose Local Sales Tax issue.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt County voters approved a penny sales tax for transportation by a nearly 2 to 1 margin on Tuesday, allowing for a stream of money that will be used for road resurfacing and airport runway improvements.

A little more than 9 percent of registered voters turned out, with 1,220, or 65.84 percent, voting yes, and 633 no votes cast.

The Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax was the only countywide question on the ballot. There were mayor’s races in Berlin and Doerun and a Moultrie City County race for the District 1 Post 2 seat.

In a close race, Moultrie pastor Cornelius Ponder III received 145 votes to incumbent councilwoman Susie Magwood-Thomas’s 136 to win the District 1 Post 2 council seat. The seat represents all of northwest Moultrie and a portion of southwest. Magwood-Thomas was first elected to the post in 2009.

In Doerun, Mike Campbell overcame Larry Brady, 93-42, to fill the unexpired term of Mayor George Saunders, who died June 20.

In Berlin, incumbent Mayor Mark Bridwell defeated Reggie Merritt, 43 votes to 13, to retain his seat.

The transportation sales tax, which will run for five years, was the second 1 percent sales tax approved this year by county voters. In March they voted to extend for six years an existing Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that funds projects in the county and its municipalities.

The transportation tax, likewise, will fund projects in the cities and on county-maintained roadways.

County officials expect the estimated $15 million share it will receive to allow for resurfacing some 170 miles of roads.

Moultrie’s expected share is estimated at $7.4 million, followed by Norman Park at $511,658 and Doerun at $407,431. The cities of Berlin, Funston and Ellenton are expected to receive $290,045, $236,352, and $147,917, respectively.

Of the remainder, $750,000 is earmarked for Moultrie Municipal Airport improvements, $550,000 for the Parks and Recreation Authority and $250,000 for the Colquitt County Hospital Authority, which will be used for resurfacing the parking facilities at the hospital.

Some $5 million of the county’s share will go toward mowing and chemical spray application along roadways. Shifting that money from the general fund is expected to allow the county to avoid increasing property taxes, officials have said.