By Jessica Pope — VALDOSTA — At noon on Friday, not one person had qualified to fill the unexpired term of Joseph Brown on the Valdosta Board of Education.
Lowndes County Board of Elections officials noted the possibility of having to hold qualifying all over again just for that one seat, potentially costing the taxpayers more money.
Fortunately, by the time the process came to an end at 4:30 p.m., that had all changed. Vanassa L. Flucas qualified for the District 2 seat.
When the Nov. 3 election comes and goes, a total of nine incumbents will return to office — barring any big surprises. Alvin Payton Jr. of Valdosta City Council District 4, Mayor David W. Bullard Sr. of Hahira, Mayor Kenneth E. Allen of Dasher, Julian Q. Copeland Jr. of Dasher City Council Post 1, Mayor Walter K. Sandlin of Lake Park and Albert R. Carter, Paul R. Mulkey, Eric Schindler and Jeffery L. Spradley of the Lake Park City Council are all running unopposed.
Flucas is also running unopposed, though she is a newcomer to the scene.
Names voters will not see on their Nov. 3 ballots include Willie T. Head Jr. of Valdosta City Council District 2, who recently announced that he will not seek re-election, as well as Willie Jones and Ricky Rowe of Superward East District 7 and Superward West District 8, respectively, of the Valdosta Board of Education. It was unknown why Jones and Rowe chose not to seek re-election at press time.
Voters will make their decisions on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Necessary runoffs, according to the Secretary of State’s office, will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Those qualified to appear on the ballot are:
• Valdosta City Council District 2 (a four-year position currently held by Willie T. Head Jr. who has already announced that he will not seek re-election) — David G. DeMersseman, David L. Dempsey, Rodney A. Flucas, Deidra A. White, and Dr. L.W. Williams;
• Valdosta City Council District 4 (a four-year position currently held by Alvin Payton Jr.) — Alvin Payton Jr.;
• Valdosta City Council District 6 (a four-year position currently held by Robert Yost) — John E. Johnson Sr. and Charles Robert Yost;
• City of Hahira Mayor (a four-year position currently held by Wayne Bullard) — David W. Bullard Sr.;
• Hahira City Council District 1 (a four-year position currently held by Terry C. Benjamin) — Terry C. Benjamin and Wilmon J. Stanley;
• Hahira City Council District 4 (a four-year position currently held by Rose Adams) — Rose Adams, Marion C. Nelson, and Thomas A. Simpson;
• City of Dasher Mayor (a four-year position currently held by Kenny Allen) — Kenneth E. Allen;
• Dasher City Council Post 1 (a four-year position currently held by Julian Copeland) — Julian Q. Copeland Jr.;
• Dasher City Council Post 2 (a four-year position currently held by Ronnie Lieupo) — Vivian R. Armstrong and Ronnie Lieupo;
• City of Lake Park Mayor (a two-year position currently held by Keith Sandlin) — Walter K. Sandlin;
• Lake Park City Council (four positions with two-year terms each currently held by Jeff Spradley, Ronald Carter, Paul Mulkey and Eric Schindler) — Eric Schindler, Albert R. Carter, Paul R. Mulkey and Jeffery L. Spradley;
• Valdosta Board of Education At-Large District (a six-year position currently held by Jeana Beeland) — Jeana Fowler Beeland and Thomas W. Smoot;
• Valdosta Board of Education Superward East District 7 (a six-year position that serves Districts 1, 2 and 3 currently held by Willie R. Jones) — Debra H. Bell, Christopher Brandon and Christopher Burgman;
• Valdosta Board of Education Superward West District 8 (a six-year position that serves Districts 4, 5 and 6 currently held by Ricky Rowe) — Kelly Clark Wilson and Dr. Chassitty LaSha Loving;
• Valdosta Board of Education District 4 (to fill the unexpired term of Mike Pitts) — Dean Rexroth and Micah I. Hollimon; and
• Valdosta Board of Education District 2 — (to fill the unexpired term of Joseph Brown) — Vanassa L. Flucas.
Contact the Lowndes County Board of Elections by phone at (229) 671-2850, by email at elections@lowndescounty.com or in person at 2808 N. Oak St. between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to learn more.
The last day for voters to register for the Nov. 3 general municipal elections is Oct. 5.
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CALL US
All candidates are asked to contact Jessica Pope by telephone at (229) 244-3400 ext. 1274 or email at jessica.pope@gaflnews.com on or before Sept. 8 to request a questionnaire and to schedule photos.
