With several local candidates on the ballot, 42% of Pike County voters cast their ballots in the historic June 9 election which was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Almost half of Pike County residents who cast ballots voted via absentee ballot, with a total of 2,444 votes received by mail of the total 5,527 votes in the election. There are a total of 13,125 registered voters in the county and 961 of them cast ballots during early voting with more than 2,000 voting on election day.
Pike County’s Beth Camp will represent citizens in Pike and surrounding counties as the District 131 State Representative after defeating Kenny Coggins of Thomaston with nearly 70% of votes in Pike with a total of 3,157 votes to 1,369 votes. The race for the District 131 seat was much closer at the state level and it wasn’t until last Wednesday afternoon that final voting numbers were recorded with Camp earning 51.38% of votes and a total of 5,360 to 5,073.
Pike County’s certified race results are below.
Pike had another close race between Clerk of Superior Court candidates as Pam Thompson edged out Rebekah Hanson with 51% of the vote at 2,344 votes to 2,206 votes.
In other local races, District 3 county commissioner Jason Proctor earned 70% of votes over challenger Homer Gibbins with a total of 818 votes to 343 votes.
District 4 county commissioner James Jenkins retained his seat from challenger Tricia Gwyn with 56% of votes, winning by 705 to 540 votes.
Ginny Woodall Blakeney will be Pike’s new probate judge after getting 61% of votes over Brent Taylor with a total of 3,208 to 2,007.
Marcie Bradberry earned a close victory over Christopher Childress for the board of education District 4 seat with 53% of votes and a total of 446 votes to 392 votes.
Denise Burrell will remain the board of eduction District 5 member after getting 66% of votes over Marci Hanson with a total of 585 votes to 293 votes.
A crowd of candidates and interested citizens gathered outside the office of elections on the courthouse square after the polls closed on election day as they waited for results to be announced and posted.
The results were announced from each precinct in a timely manner (despite minor computer issues) and all results were posted not long after 11 p.m. In some Georgia counties, the results were delayed long into the night.
Lamar County suspended the election night tabulation around 3:30 a.m. and continued the count the next day, contributing to the delay in the Beth Camp and Kenny Coggins race for the District 131 seat.
“I am so excited that voters turned out in this election. Even with COVID precautions, voters were patient for the most part. Hats off to the poll workers and managers and all who assisted in getting ready for voting and working the polls,” said election supervisor Lynn Vickers. “I would also like to publicly thank the Board of Election and Registration for their support and help during this time. Pike County has a great team working to ensure that voting in the county is safe and smooth.”