Fulton to vote in Democratic runoffs Aug. 5

Fulton County residents will have another opportunity to go to the polls Aug. 5 for the primary runoffs in several Democratic races.

Runoffs are required when no candidate receives a majority in the primary.

For the nomination to challenge Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss for the U.S. Senate, DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones will face Jim Martin in the Democratic primary runoff. Libertarian Allen Buckley also is seeking the seat.

In the primary July 15, Jones led a five-man field with 195,000 votes, or 40 percent, according to unofficial results available from the office of Secretary of State Karen Handel. Martin was second with 165,827 votes, or 34 percent. Eliminated from the race were Dale Cardwell (16 percent), Rand Knight (5 percent) and Josh Lanier (4 percent).

Also back on the ballot Aug. 5 will be Fulton Sheriff Myron Freeman and his top Democratic challenger, Theodore Jackson. Freeman topped the nine-candidate field with 13,753 votes, or 30 percent, according to the county’s unofficial count. Jackson received 7,755 votes (17 percent) to edge out Franklin Brown and Charles Rambo (15 percent each) for a spot in the runoff. The others in the race were Aubrey Osteen (7 percent), Patrick Labat (7 percent), Charles Shelton (4 percent), Curtis Steven Farmer (2 percent) and Ronald Brandy (2 percent).

The winner of the runoff will face Republican Michael Rary in November.

The final runoff on the ballot in Buckhead and the rest of Fulton County is for clerk of Superior Court. With 340 of 347 precincts counted, incumbent Cathelene “Tina” Robinson had 19,952 votes, falling just short of a majority at 47 percent. She’ll face Lewis Pittman, who got 21 percent to beat out William Gerald Wright (18 percent) and Mary Dancy (14 percent). No Republican is running, so the runoff winner gets the office.

Avoiding the runoff is Congressman John Lewis, who faced a pair of challengers in the Democratic primary. He received 69 percent of the votes to Markel Hutchins’ 16 percent and Mable Thomas’ 15 percent. With no challenger in the general election, Lewis is assured of his 12th term in the House.

For an open Public Service Commission seat, Lauren McDonald beat Pam Davidson for the Republican nomination. Jim Powell beat Bob Indech for the Democratic nomination, but his place on the November ballot will depend on a court case over his residency.

Incumbents winning primaries July 15 included state Dist. 36 Sen. Nan Orrock, who got 72 percent of the Democratic vote against Andre Jamal Jerry; Dist. 38 Sen. Horacena Tate, who got 69 percent against Democratic challenger Michael Adams; Dist. 44 Rep. Sheila Jones, who got 72 percent of the Democratic vote against Steven Lee.