Fannin County Sheriff Dane Kirby announces re-election campaign

Announcements, Election, News

RE-ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT

To the Citizens Of Fannin County, I would like to take this opportunity to announce my intention to seek re-election in the upcoming 2024 Republican Primary. I am very grateful and humbled by the trust you have placed in me as your Sheriff for the last 15 plus years.

I took office in January 2009 and every new year presents its own set of challenges and tasks to be completed in the world of crime fighting. Myself and the dedicated people who make up the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office have remained determined to provide quality service to the people we represent.The People of Fannin County can rest assured that determination has not and will not diminish as our County continues to face new problems that arise from the tremendous growth that we have witnessed over the years while still continuing to focus on existing problems. I have learned over the years that the people expect their Sheriff to enforce the law period, and I have done that to the letter of the law.

As in previous years I plan to continue serving and protecting, with the professional and courteous manner that is expected of this office. The Citizens of Fannin County as well as visitors should know they can feel safe here, but should also realize that dangers exist here just like everywhere else. Parents should worry about their children being exposed to drugs and other evils of this world and people in general should be aware that bad people do infiltrate the mountains of North Georgia. This County needs and deserves a Sheriff with wisdom, experience and dedication to combat those evils that exist.

Since day one, I have been and will remain a “hands on” Sheriff. It has taken years and a lot of hard work to establish close working relationships with agencies such as GBI, FBI, Homeland Security, Georgia State Patrol, ATF, DNR, US Forest Service, Department of Corrections and all the surrounding Sheriffs Offices to create an army of resources at our disposal on a daily basis. We have a drug agent with GBI and a task force officer with the FBI working out of our office EVERY DAY. All this has created a network where valuable information is shared and acted upon accordingly and has made criminal and drug interdiction more productive than ever before in the history of Fannin County. The working relationships between the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, Superior Court and the multiple Accountability Courts have resulted in very close attention being paid to cases to ensure they are all handled appropriately and as quickly as possible.

The Office of Sheriff is a big job that must be taken very seriously, it is a job that takes years to learn. The last 33 years I’ve spent in law enforcement have definitely been years spent learning and applying my knowledge to form an extraordinary Sheriff’s Office to serve this community.

I can tell you without a doubt the Citizens of Fannin County can be very proud of the men and women who make up this office, they come to work everyday to serve, protect, represent and fight for you.  It is my privilege to serve the citizens of Fannin County and working everyday as your Sheriff is the most gratifying and fulfilling experience I have ever had. I take seriously the issues we as a community face on a daily basis and I will meet each issue head on. I am honored that you have placed your confidence in me and it is my hope you have been satisfied with my service and that you will continue to support my efforts. 

Please feel free to contact me day or night with any questions or concerns you have. My cell number is 706-633-8269. I would like to extend my appreciation to each one of you for your past support and ask for your continued support and vote in the General Primary Election to be held on May 21, 2024.

Respectfully,

Sheriff Dane Kirby

Why is the News Observer trying to manipulate an election?

Election, Feature News, Featured, Featured News, Featured Stories

Why is the News Observer trying to manipulate an election? Is Glenn Harbinson trying to help someone win? You don’t know me but you sure want to judge me. When I decided to run for Georgia House District 7 I knew the media would attack me. I was ready for it and I know why they don’t want the good people from the 7th district to have a real representative. 

I have tried to make this campaign about the issues. It is clear I won both forums and the other candidates have a lot to learn when it comes to the issues. So if you can’t win on the issues, use the fish wrap New Observer to attack me on something that happened nearly 30 years ago.

Yes something happened in Pennsylvania that is of public record. But the Georgia Secretary of States wants you to believe that I knowingly voted while serving a felony sentence. Never happened! I did vote every time they said, but never illegally. 

The News Observer and AJC fail to tell the entire story. Yes, for those who think a person charged with a felony can’t vote, wrong. First, in the state of Pennsylvania the only time you lose your voting rights is if you are incarcerated. Considering I have never spent a night in jail in my entire life…(can everyone say that) I never lost my voting rights in PA. Once your sentence has expired you can vote in the state of Georgia. Yes it’s true!

One question that no one asks, why has the Secretary of State office sat on this allegation for 7 years? Why did this suddenly come up for the Attorney General’s office on the Friday before qualifying for office on Monday. Why was this sent to the media before it was sent to me and my attorney?  The answer is simple: manipulate an election. 

You see I have a document which states that the case closed 5-14-1999 almost 24 years ago. 

clearly depicts 1999

 

 

While the SOS falsely claims the case was still active and didn’t close until 2010. According to my document I never knowingly voted while serving a felony sentence and the law clearly states “knowingly”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not long ago the Attorney General’s office offered me what I considered extortion to sign a document showing no guilt and to pay a $4000 fine and they would close this case. I said absolutely not! Why would I pay them for something when I did nothing wrong?

$4000 offer to admit I did nothing wrong

Now they want to try to manipulate an election and try to make me look like public enemy number one. They want to take me to court in Fannin county and try to fine me upwards of $30,000. All because I did nothing wrong, did not accept their $4,000 extortion, and it was very convenient timing to disparage my name. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Georgia SOS looked for real voter fraud and the Attorney General spent your tax money prosecuting gang violence and drug cases.

 

You know the expression, it’s as clear as the nose on my face… Glenn Harbinson with the News Observer is trying to manipulate an election. But for who? Johnny Chastain or the woman who is trying to play the poor little widow woman Sheree Ralston.

Why is Sheree paying to run this ad knowing it’s not true

The one who is paying big money running ads, ads depicting “Did Pritchard vote illegally?”   Why would she run this ad knowing her late husband David Ralston knew my entire story. Don’t fall for her act.

 

 

Why isn’t fish wrap Glenn looking into why these candidates combined spending is over 150K.  Why spend $150,000 to try to get a job that pays 17.5k a year? Why isn’t fish wrap Glenn asking where their money is coming from? Where is Sheree Ralston getting her money, is it from the campaign slush fund from David Ralston? If so, is that legal? 

We have all heard the stories of Glenn’s backroom deals to manipulate Blue Ridge City Mayor and Council races, County Commission seats…. I don’t know this first hand but we have all heard the stories. Now what kind of deal has Glenn made to try to manipulate this election and for who? 

I’m not public enemy number one. I’m 58 years old. Married to my lovely wife Lisa. Father to two great kids Brian Keith and Vanessa who have blessed me with five grandkids. I do not use any drugs and haven’t even tasted alcohol since I was nineteen. I have never spent a night in jail and I think it has been over twenty years since I’ve had a speeding ticket. My wife was born and raised here and every once in a while I hear “I’m from here.”  I have been here for 21 years and we are small business owners. We own FetchYourNews.com and our number one focus for the last 12 years has been to highlight our young people in the district. Our sports department TeamFYNSports tagline is “highlighting and promoting young athletes in a positive way.” 

It’s time we have a representative that is focused on keeping Atlanta drugs and crime out of our North Georgia Mountains.  We need to stop drug cartels from operating in our district, protect parents rights and protect our children from this government’s “WOKE” agenda. 

Protect our kids & parental rights

We are tired of self-serving politicians. You know the ones that get elected and are only worth around 200k and come back worth millions. Serving the people should never be a million dollar open door to corruption. Look at all the candidates and ask yourself why they are running for this office and then take a look at me and know I am running for no other reason than to serve the people. 

Do not let Atlanta pick your Representative watch the forums Click here to watch the forums

Don’t let media like the News Observer and AJC lie and try to manipulate an election. Trust the only candidate in the race who reads the bills and knows the issues.

 

God Bless America, God Bless Georgia and God Bless the good people of the seventh district.

P.S. Go DAWGS

My name is Brian K. Pritchard and I ask for your vote on January 3rd. 

 

Ask The Doc! Ascites And Spindle Cell Sarcoma

Community
ask the doc

This week, the Doctors discuss Ascites in a patient whose lung Cancer is being treated by the Jimmy Carter Immune Therapy. What is it? How is it treated? They also touch on the Spindle Cell Sarcoma. How serious is it? What are the different kinds of Sarcomas? The doctors also give a brief Covid update.

 

Kemp signs Election Integrity Act of 2021

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Election integrity Act of 2021

ATLANTA – Election reform is coming to Georgia after Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed the SB 202, Election Integrity Act of 2021, mere hours after it landed on his desk.

During his televised remarks about the legislation Kemp stated, “With Senate Bill 202, Georgia will take another step in ensuring elections, accessible and fair.”

He thanked Chairman Barry Flemming and Chairman Max Burns and Senate and House Leadership for their work on the issue.

Kemp also mentioned his fight to keep Georgia’s elections fair by investigating voter fraud and defending the state’s voter ID laws.

“After November I knew like so many of you that significant reforms to our state elections were needed. There’s no doubt there were many alarming issues with how the election was handled and those problems understandable led to the crisis of confidence at the ballot box here in Georgia,” Kemp said.

Kemp was the first to call on Raffensperger to audit the absentee ballots and did so four times.

SB 202 replaces signature match with a state-issued ID requirement and Kemp believes this will streamline the absentee ballot process. He added the bill makes it “easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

Weekend voting will be expanded to two mandatory Saturdays and two optional Sundays. Ballot drop boxes will be secured 24/7 and security paper is required for ballot authentication.

“November 2020 election saw a 350 percent increase in the use of absentee ballots,” Kemp explained. “This obviously led local election workers to have to process far more ballots using a time consuming, labor-intensive, and at times arbitrary process.”

Georgia Democrats have been vocal about their opposition to the bill, calling it a power grab for a declining party that doesn’t know how to connect with a changing Georgia.

Election Integrity Act of 2021 does limit the power of the Secretary of State, removing the elected official as chairman of the state board of elections. The Secretary of State will now be a “nonvoting ex officio member” and the legislature will appoint the chairman. The state board can now oversee and review the performance of local election boards too. If a board is found lacking, the state board can appoint a new supervisor for that county.

The 90-plus page bill can be read on the General Assembly site.

President Joe Biden (D) spoke about the election reform legislation sweeping Republican-controlled state legislatures. He called the bills “sick” saying it made “Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle.” He promised to do everything in his power to stop the reform efforts.

Other states with election bills in process are Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

https://www.gpb.org/events/news/2021/03/25/governor-kemp-news-conference

Election Integrity Act of 2021 on fast track to becoming law

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paid parental leave

ATLANTA – Shortly after passing the House of Representatives earlier today, the Senate voted to approve the House’s amendments to SB 202, also known as the Election Integrity Act.

The House passed SB 202 with a 100-75 vote. The Senate approved the amendment 34-20.

Kemp intends to sign the bill tonight at 6:30 p.m. Following the signing of the bill, Governor Kemp will deliver remarks from the Governor’s Ceremonial Office. The remarks will be broadcast live on GPB.org.

The Election Integrity Act will bring sweeping changes to the election process in Georgia. Drop boxes will only be allowed to be placed inside early voting locations during voting hours. Food or drink stations must be set up 150 feet away from polling locations in accordance with existing campaigning laws. If someone breaks those rules, they can be charged with a misdemeanor. Unlimited challenges for voter eligibility and registration.

State elections board gains more power in the bill as well with the legislature now appointing the chairman. Previously, the Secretary of State served as the chairman, but under SB 202, the Secretary of State would assume a more administrative role. The state board can also review local boards of elections when needed and if necessary appoint one person to replace the board.

Several Senate Democrats argued extending a hand of control over local boards was just a grab for power by Republicans who are unsure how to win in a changing Georgia.

Runoff elections would move from nine weeks after the primary to four weeks.

Secretary of State and state elections board would inform the legislature before entering into any agreements, settlements, or consent orders.

Two days of Saturday voting and Sunday voting will be implemented as well.

The 90-plus page bill details all the changes to O.C.G.A. Those interested can read it on the General Assembly’s site.

Gilmer election voting turnout stays above 65 percent

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Voting

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – As many expected and even publicly stated, Gilmer County did notice a drop in election voting turnout from the November Presidential Election to January’s Runoff Elections.

However, that drop has many surprised at how little the drop was. November saw 16,576 people cast their votes through one of the four voting paths including Election Day Precinct voting, Advanced in-person voting, Absentee by mail voting, and provisional ballot voting.

January saw 14,847 people vote in the county through those paths.

That equals 74.45 percent of the population in November and 65.17 percent of the population in January according to the Gilmer County Registrar’s Office. Only a 9.28 percent drop. This percentage comes from the Registrar’s records of Registered voters which also increase between the two elections from 22,264 in November to 22,781 in January.

January saw more people voting on Election Day with 5,601 compared to November’s 4,907.

January did see less in-person voting and absentee by mail with in-person reaching 6,292 (November – 8,150) and absentee reaching 2,949 (November – 3,506).

As previously reported, the increases have continued to rise throughout the year, some are calling ballot harvesting by one party as part of the reason for the increases, especially in absentee by mail, though it decreased from November to January. Others are simply citing the current times and consequences as the reason for increases.

Indeed, several people have made note that they are first time voters, like James Short who said he voted in the November election for the first time because it is the most important election he has seen in his life.

Meanwhile, the outcomes and ramifications of the elections, suspected fraud, and division among citizens continues spiraling into increasing tension among the nation and it’s citizens.

These hostilities are even affecting local rural counties as neighbor Pickens County recently posted deputies to polling stations during the January Election. The Sheriff’s Office issued a pre-emptive statement beforehand assuring citizens that there was no present threat. However, the did say that the action was taken due to threats received and dealt with in other counties.

The importance and effects that elections are having on people is continuing to be shown in total votes numbers in counties across the nation. Even with a drop in voting in January’s Runoff Election, Gilmer is still a prime example of this with well over half of its registered voting population turning out for a runoff election.

Early voting running smoothly despite some questioning software

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Once again, Gilmer County is returning to the ballot box for the early voting procedures for the 2020 elections, though this time addressing the runoff elections.

With the actual election day in January and early voting continuing through the end of 2020, Sherri Jones, boardmember of the Board of Voter Registration and Registrar for Gilmer County, said that the lines have been going smoother than in November. Sharing with FYN an update, she noted that many citizens have commented on the easier and quicker progression through the lines.

Early Voting

A small line forms as voters wait to enter the Registrar’s Office for in-person early voting in Gilmer County.

Jones said the staff has stayed very busy with three check-in stations processing voters and five voting machines in operation. She also noted that they have run four check-in stations if a line starts to build up as well. This is not any different as Jones said they operated similarly in the November Election.

However, Jones said a smaller ballot helps some as people are spending less time on the machines deciding and registering their votes. As they have gone through their first two completed days of operation in early voting, Gilmer saw 576 early voters on Monday, and 601 early voters on Tuesday. As they near completion of their third day, Jones said they have audited their lines and operations several times, never seeing more than a maximum of 15 minutes waiting in line.

But in almost three days, the in-person total of 1,637 in-person voters are only a third of the story. Jones said that between the state and county, they have 3,368 registered ballots in the mail locally and another 42 ballots sent digitally to those in military service overseas.

Early Voting

With only 15 minutes wait-times reported, Gilmer’s voters and registrars are both pleased with way the runoff election is performing in the opening days of early voting.

These are being returned via mail or through the ballot-box drop-off in front of the courthouse. Processing these comes with its own challenges as officials must register the ballots, confirm signatures, and, in some cases, re-mail confirmations. Jones said that a few of their by-mail ballots have had to have confirmation forms sent out to re-affirm signatures that may have been questioned or rejected. Jones said that, for example, they cannot accept ballots signed by a spouse. Citizens voting by mail should keep an eye out just in case they might be one of the few needing to sign a secondary form.

However, with all the normal challenges of operating the early voting process, Jones said the biggest issue they have faced so far is faith in the machines.

Jones said that they have had several people questioning their votes and the Dominion software used in counting them.

She said the office is assuring the public that they have confirmed the operations and counting software after having gone through the November Election, an audit and hand-counted-recount of that election, and a second recount of the ballots through the machines. All of which matched “to the ‘T,'” according to Jones.

They are continuing early voting through the next two weeks until New Years as the office is remaining open except for the recognized holidays. As previously reported from Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins, as of now, early voting will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, as well as for New Year’s Day, January 1.

Gilmer amid statewide recount and audit of elections

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recount

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County and its Probate Court are deep amid recounting ballots today as they join in what Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins is calling both an audit and a recount for the Presidential Election of 2020.

recount

With employees from the Probate Office, Registrars, and some other volunteers, officials are fully confident in finishing the counting by Tuesday night.

A major stress on certain county offices, this major process has drawn in employees from both the Probate Office and Registrar’s Office to undertake recounting every one of the 16,576 ballots cast in Gilmer County, according to viewers and officials present at the recount.

Begun on Friday, November 14, 2o20, the process is being undertaken in the Jury Assembly Room of the Gilmer County Courthouse. Gilmer Probate Judge Scott Chastain said they used the Jury Assembly Room to allow public access and viewing of the audit, as required by law. However, he said the room also allowed for social distancing between tables and for space so that one table would not accidentally hear someone from the next table over possibly causing some confusion.

Chastain told FYN that the process was going well on Friday, and they have been looking at the progress daily. Scheduled to count through today and ending tomorrow, Tuesday, November 17, 2020, they actually have until midnight on Wednesday to finish the count. This means that if something happens, the county does have a buffer of one extra day just in case.

recount

Registrar Sherri Jones, left, helps alongside Gary Watkins, right, in the 2020 recount and audit of the Presidential Election on November 13, 2020.

Nearly twenty people at some times helping the process with including some floating staff that comes and goes, Chastain said that eleven core people including the elections review board are constantly working through the process.

Chastain and Watkins are both confident in the speed they have been accomplishing the task and are both fully confident in finishing in the scheduled time.

One of the major points of note in this process, those involved in recounting the ballots are only counting the presidential election. Chastain said this was a concern of his in the beginning. He worried that they would be needing to recount every vote in every race. Instead, focusing only on the presidential race is also helping in accomplishing the recount and audit with speed.

Moving forward, two very different outcomes could mean two very different futures for Georgia. Should the audit come up with different numbers than what the computers accounted for, Chastain said, “When we’re finished statewide, my hope is what the machines said is what we come up with. Because if we have different numbers than the machines, it’s not going to be a good situation statewide.”

recount

A part of the statewide audit and recount, Gilmer County is going through 16,576 ballots through day-of, in-person-early, and absentee voting.

Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins echoed a similar thought saying that the recount could prove to be a test for the election equipment statewide. Watkins has also voiced, in previous interviews, her faith in Gilmer’s elections staff and poll workers and has been happy with the efforts that Gilmer has put forth in elections.

This specific election has seen records broken in terms of those visiting in early voting as well as absentee ballots. Yet, this phrase is beginning to lose some of its impact as Gilmer has repeatedly increased in the numbers this year in each of the election days throughout local, state, and federal offices.

Regardless of what the audit comes up with, some are still concerned that hand counts could become a common thing in future elections with parties constantly claiming instances of voter fraud and suppression as well as other things. However, nothing concrete has been reported yet.

Long lines, but not long waits for early voters in Murray County

Election 2020, Featured, Featured Stories, News
murray election

Photo by Susan Kirkland
Murray County voters can expect lines, but not necessarily long waits during early voting.

The lines are long, but it’s quieting down from Monday’s opening day of early voting, according to Connie Winkler, deputy elections superintendent. She said more than 1,000 have come through from Monday-Wednesday with numbers averaging about 450 voters per day.

“I expect we will see between 6,000 and 8,000 before the end of early voting,” she said.

So far, the record was close to 6,000 in the 2016 election.

Early voting is being held at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Old

murray election

Photo by Susan Kirkland
Lisa and Kenny McGill said they didn’t have to wait long to cast their ballot on Wednesday.

Federal Road in Chatsworth.

She also said that even though the line goes out the door sometimes, there have been very few bumps in the process.

“The bumps we’ve had are due to the system slowing down on the state site,” she said.

That slow down has caused some wait, but voters coming out of the polls said it wasn’t too much. Others said they would return later with hopefully less wait time.

“It wasn’t as bad as we expected,” said Lisa McGill, who, along with husband, Kenny, voted early.

“I thought it would take longer,” Kenny McGill said.

The couple said they vote in every election.

Murray County has three different ballots, because they have three house districts: District Five, District Six, and District 11 and each one is up for election. To find out the coverage areas for each district, visit My Voter Page.

Included on the ballot are two constitutional amendments, dealing with taxes, and one proposal with the administration of government.

Amendment One:  Authorizes dedication of fees and taxes to tehir intended purposes by general state law.

House Resolution 164

Act No. 597

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate revenues derived from fees or taxes to the public purpose for which such fees or taxes were intended.

MORE MURRAY COUNTY NEWS

Proposal Two: Waives state and local sovereign immunity for violation of state laws, state and federal constitutions.

House Resolution 1023

Act. No 596

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended ot waive sovereign immunity and allow the people of Georgia to petition the superior court for relieve from governmental acts doen outside the scope of lawful authority or which violate the laws of this state, the Constitution of Georgia, or the Constitution of hte United States?”

Amendment Three: Established a tax exemption for certain real property owned by charities.

House Bill 344

Act. No. 149

“Shall the Act be approved which provides exemption from ad valorem taxes for all real property owned by a purely public charity, if such charity is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of hte federal Internal Revenue Code and such real property is held exclusively for the purpose of building or repairing single-family homes to be financed by such charity to individuals using loans that shall not bear interest?

Times and Sample Ballot for Early Voting in Gilmer

Election 2020, Featured, Featured Stories, News

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Early Voting is well underway in Gilmer County with lines stretching around the block some days. Citizens are adamant in exercising their right to vote in this major election.

As people prepare and plan on their trips to the ballot box through either early voting or on election day, November 3, 2020, the Registrar’s Office of Gilmer County is providing all the information available.

Staying open later in the day until 6:00 p.m. and even opening this Saturday, the office is following requirements by law and attempting to maintain social distancing while providing this service. According to Chief Registrar and Gilmer County Elections Manager, Tammy Watkins, the full operation times for early voting are:

Monday October 19th thru Friday October 23rd 8:30am – 6:00pm

Saturday October 24th 9:00am until 4:00pm

Monday October 26th thru Friday October 30th 8:30am – 6:00pm

VotingAs people are continuing to gather in large droves at the  Gilmer County Registrar Office (1 Broad St Suite 107 Ellijay, GA 30540) the office is also providing sample ballots in multiple locations including inside the office, through local media, through the county website, and below this article.

Another new addition comes in the form of the Absentee Ballot Box drop-off located at the Gilmer County Courthouse. Located around the corner from the office, the drop-off box is next to the main entrance of the courthouse (pictured right).

Citizens who wish to find out more or wish to ask questions can contact the Registrars Office at 706-635-4617.

Additionally, for those preparing for voting on Election Day, the Voter Registration page of the County Website provides locations for each of the voting precincts in the county near the bottom of the page.

Voting Voting

Early Voting gets massive first day in Gilmer

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voting

ELLIJAY, Ga. – With the presidential election less than a month away, yesterday saw Gilmer County’s first day of early voting with lines stretching far out the door and down the sidewalk in front of the courthouse.

voting

Voters line the street on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, as Gilmer holds its first day of early voting for the Presidential Election.

According to Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins, the county saw a total of 470 people vote early on the first day.

This is no shock, however, as the Registrars Office also reported record breaking turnouts this year in the June elections. At the time, Registrar Sherri Jones said that Friday, June 5, 2020, the final day of early voting, was their busiest day of the entire cycle.

However, that busiest day ended with 161 voters casting their ballots. This Presidential Election is already shattering any expectations from citizens and authorities. The line stretched long well past noon yesterday, and was wrapping around the square today as citizens lined up in the opposite direction.

Early voting has also taken up extra space. The Board of Commissioners, amid budget meetings this week, held their meetings in the Jury Assembly Room. While most of their meetings are being held there currently, due to needs for Social Distancing amid the Coronavirus, they also said their conference room is being used by elections and office staff as the early voting machines are spreading out through the Registrar’s Office to supply enough machines for early voting while also maintaining the same Social Distancing guidelines.

voting

Gilmer’s new absentee ballot drop off waits for the cement to dry for its new location in the courthouse parking lot.

Citizens don’t seem to mind as some, who have never voted, are showing up for the first time ever. One person, who declined to give his name, said he searched and registered this year just to vote against those he saw as attacking the president and the current office.

Gilmer is also adding a new drop-off box this week for absentee ballots. Set in the parking lot of the courthouse, the new box is to be bolted into the ground allowing those dropping off ballots to not have to wait in line.

Watkins said in a meeting with the commissioners last week before early voting that absentee ballots could also be seeing minor issues with some as they originally request an absentee ballot or are on a rollover absentee list, but want to cancel their absentee ballot and vote in person.

Watkins explained that this happened in the last election as a large number of ballots request forms were sent out.

Additionally, if a request is marked with certain health or physical disabilities, these people can be put on a rollover list for absentee ballots as well.

voting

Gilmer’s early voting line stretched down the sidewalk and around the corner of the Courthouse’s parking lot to enter the Registrar’s Office to vote.

While not an issue to handle and fix, the massive turnout already seen will inflate problems in this election as staff are keeping up with the number of people while also dealing with the usual corrections and details that come normally with early voting.

With no clear number on the amount of absentees that could be since we are so early in the cycle, the first day of early voting nearly tripled the busiest day from the last election. As the campaigns continue and more people find time to go to the Gilmer County Courthouse, 1 Broad St., in Ellijay, the numbers are looking like they will only go up from here to shatter previous records in early voting for the county.

Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Election 2018

 2018 Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Tonight marks the run-offs for election races in Georgia, these results are unofficial until approved by the Secretary of State.

 

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 756,016 votes   51.97%

John Barrow (D) – 698,770 votes   48.03%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 749,805 votes   51.83%

Lindy Miller (D) – 696,957 votes   48.17%

 

 

Check for local results by county here:

 

Gilmer

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,337 votes   83.13%

John Barrow (D) – 880 votes   16.87%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,250 votes   81.79%

Lindy Miller (D) – 946 votes   18.21%

 

Pickens

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,408 votes   84.01%

John Barrow (D) – 839 votes   15.99%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,325 votes   82.70%

Lindy Miller (D) – 905   17.30%

 

Fannin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,522 votes   81.89%

John Barrow (D) – 779 votes   18.11%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,454 votes   80.57%

Lindy Miller (D) – 833 votes   19.43%

 

Dawson

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,985 votes   85.83%

John Barrow (D) – 658 votes   14.17%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,939 votes   85.02%

Lindy Miller (D) – 694 votes   14.98%

 

White

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,063 votes   82.78%

John Barrow (D) – 845 votes   17.22%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,960 votes   80.82%

Lindy Miller (D) – 940 votes   19.18%

 

Union

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,246 votes   80.92%

John Barrow (D) – 1,001 votes   19.08%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,108 votes   78.65%

Lindy Miller (D) – 1,115 votes   21.35%

 

Towns

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,161 votes   79.95%

John Barrow (D) – 542 votes   20.05%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,105 votes   78.22%

Lindy Miller (D) – 586 votes   21.78%

 

Murray

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,699 votes   88.99%

John Barrow (D) – 334 votes   11.01%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,691 votes   88.84%

Lindy Miller (D) – 338 votes   11.16%

 

Lumpkin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,378 votes   78.47%

John Barrow (D) – 927 votes   21.53%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,337 votes   77.89%

Lindy Miller (D) – 947 votes   22.11%

Georgia Can’t Trust A Liar Like Geoff Duncan – Details on Geoff Duncan’s Lies

Featured, Politics

Geoff Duncan is lying about David Shafer. Every day, he is pushing a new lie to try and deceive Georgia Republicans. Don’t be fooled — Duncan will say and do anything to get elected. See below why we can’t trust a liar like Geoff Duncan.

Lie #1

Duncan maliciously lies, saying Shafer is being sued for conspiracy.

THE TRUTH:

The newspaper headline in the Duncan advertisement (“Candidate accused of conspiracy in CEO’s ouster”) refers to a lawsuit filed against another candidate, former gubernatorial candidate Clay Tippins.

Shafer is not named as a defendant or accused of wrongdoing in the Tippins lawsuit. In fact, David Shafer has never been named as defendant in any lawsuit.

Lie #2

Duncan lies by accusing David Shafer of not paying taxes.

THE TRUTH:

Shafer’s tax dispute was resolved in his favor and the tax lien issued against him was marked “issued in error and withdrawn.”

Lie #3

Duncan lies, claiming Shafer used political power to end an ethics investigation.

THE TRUTH:

David Shafer was completely exonerated by a two month, bipartisan ethics investigation.

Shafer cooperated fully. He sat for two interviews and produced 10 years of email and telephone records.

The independent counsel hired by the Ethics Committee to investigate the complaint determined that the allegations had been “fabricated” and were “politically motivated.”

Lie #4

Duncan falsely accuses Shafer of getting rich as a State Senator.

THE TRUTH:

David Shafer has worked his entire life. He opened his first bank account at age 8 with money saved from mowing lawns. He worked as a church janitor at age 13 and a restaurant busboy at age 16. He worked his way through college as a department store sales clerk. After college, he earned his real estate license and invested in real estate and he has invested in and started numerous businesses. Shafer is proud of his business success.

Georgia Can’t Trust A Liar Like Geoff Duncan.

Sign up now for more updates at Deceptive Duncan

 

Rural America is Still in Trump’s Corner & Talk of Russia has Decreased in the MSM

Politics

As always Friday is the day of fun for us at FYN. The All-Star Political Panel meets up to discuss the latest political issues and news. This week one of the main topics was the Georgia 6th Congressional District special election between (R) Karen Handel and (D) Jon Ossoff. Karen Handel came out as the victor in this race despite concerns of the amount of money raised by the Dems to help Ossoff. Many of the polls predicted Ossoff in the lead however they did not account for the “fear factor” as BKP calls it. Hear his explanation of this and his reasoning for this in this segment. They also discussed the Comey investigation and how Russia is not the main topic you hear in the main stream media this week. If you are interested in being on the All-Star Panel feel free to join us at Sycamore Crossing around 8:45 every Friday Morning.

A Lost Generation

Opinion

I am beginning to reevaluate my views on the right to vote or rather, why some people should even be allowed to vote at all. Once, it was only property owners and merchants who could vote. Women were, at the time, excluded. but no more. No problem there. Limiting voting rights to special interests could be defined as the ultimate example of capital cronyism. Examples of cronyism abound but the most egregious was the railroads, from the beginning of Americas industrial expansion and, as Railroads required iron and later steel, add the steel industry as another egregious example, but coal was king. It was the Robber Baron era.

In those days too, education was limited not by who could go to school but by who did go to school. Children, not totally dedicated as working units in mines and farms, were offered education of some type, mostly limited to reading, writing and arithmetic, while others, children of the merchant class, were offered higher levels of education in literature, history, and the classics. Americas desire for education produced such illuminaries as Mark Twain, Bret Hart and Edward A. Guest, just to name only three authors who all Americans read. But because Americans could read, newspapers proliferated as did education. Americans were becoming informed and their notions about everything changed, especially politics.

Politics were rough and tumble. No change there, and most everyone was engaged in it to some level but always with America and the Constitution in mind. Presidential candidates were selected after days of raucous conventions, torchlight parades, speech making, (without Teleprompters), to noisy, half drunk crowds of friend and foe alike and finally the party’s chose their standard bearers around whom all united until the election. People understood events of the day and that motivated them. The knew the issues, the candidates, who their parents were, their level of understanding and whether they were drunks or not. But, America flourished.

What has happened since? We have high school graduates who can’t make change, college grads with no idea about world geography, current events, or even who their congressman and senators are. They don’t know the great thinkers and therefore have not developed their own cognitive thinking skills. They know more about Hollywood actors than what’s written in the Constitution and, they don’t seem to care. Most believe wealth, food, housing and medical care comes from government and, if it doesn’t, it should.

We are turning out uneducated children who do not know where their “rights” come from. Some believe the Bill of Rights are the ten commandments brought down from Mt. Sinai on tablets of stone. Few can recite the preamble to the Constitution, as most of us were required to do in Elementary school. When asked what makes America “exceptional” they’ll babble about “freedoms” with no idea what freedoms have already been lost by eight years of an over- bearing, Progressive, out of control government.

We can thank Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon and Waters World for their street interviews near college  campuses that have revealed again and again, the tragic loss of a good American education wasted on brainwashed cretans. Most merely have a passing acquaintance with the reality they will soon experience. Too soon, I fear, they will face exactly what has left them bereft of the education they sought, indifference by socialism. They will miss the achievement they desired and the future they hoped for. They cannot even talk about issues that affect them without being offended. They are a lost generation and should be prohibited from casting their votes against America.

 

Remember, freedom is the goal, the constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em!

Trump Campaign Insider Lee Snover 9/14/16

GMFTO

Exclusive internal polling data on the Presidential Campaign in Pennsylvania. Did the Clinton Campaign Intentionally call Trump Supporters Deplorable to segregate? Lee Snover joins GMFTO from Pennsylvania to bring this and more to our Election Coverage.

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