Athens Election Guide

As we look ahead to the July 31 primary elections, Athens Patch is committed to bringing you useful information about local races. And about issues that will affect you and your pocketbook.

Athenians have two local commission races and one state house race, all of which will be decided on July 31.

Commissioners Alice Kinman of District 4 and Ed Robinson of District 8 both decided not to run for re-election. Vying for their positions are Allison Wright, a long-time school board member, and David Ellison, an attorney who works in Jackson County, in District 4. In District 6, business man Ron Winders is facing Jerry NeSmith, a planning commissioner and co-founder of the Athens Farmers' Market.

The two state house candidates are both Republicans, so whosever wins the July primary will be the representative because there is no democratic opposition. Challenger Republican Regina Quick, an Athens attorney, is taking on incumbent Republican Doug McKillip in the race for House District 117.

McKillip earned the ire of local Democrats when he switched parties after the 2010 election. He engineered  a  plan for commission districts, throwing out one created by the community. He also introduced controversial legislation on late term abortions. Both passed.

Voters will also get to decide the fate of the T-SPLOST, a regional one-cent sales tax for various transportation projects in Northeast Georgia. To pass, the measure needs only a majority of votes, not a certain number of counties in the region.