VALDOSTA – Another week of early voting ended Friday for the rare occasion of multiple elections.

Voters can cast ballots in a runoff race for state representative, a special election for Valdosta Board of Education member and a referendum vote for a new education special purpose local option sales tax.

– The runoff election for House District 176 state representative seat concluded the second week of early voting.

So far, 173 registered Lowndes County voters have cast ballots in the race featuring James Burchett, a Waycross attorney, and Franklin Patten, a Lakeland businessman, according to the Lowndes County elections board. Both candidates are Republicans.

They received the top votes in a field of four candidates in early February but neither Burchett nor Patten received the 50 percent plus one vote necessary to secure a win.

They are seeking the state representative seat vacated by Jason Shaw at the beginning of the year. Shaw took a position with the state Public Service Commission.

The final week of early voting in the House 176 runoff race continues Monday, March 4, through Friday, March 8.

But early voting is available for more than just a portion of Lowndes County. House 176 also includes portions of Lanier, Atkinson and Ware counties. Early voting is being held in those counties for the special election runoff, too.

Election Day for the runoff is Tuesday, March 12. Ballots can be cast then 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at designated polling places.

The runoff is only available to registered voters living in District 176.

– At end of the first week of early voting for E-SPLOST and Valdosta Board of Education District 2, 324 registered Lowndes County voters cast a ballot, according to election officials.

All registered Lowndes County voters can cast a ballot for E-SPLOST, a penny on the dollar sales tax that will raise money for projects in both Valdosta and Lowndes County school systems, election officials said.

City schools wants E-SPLOST to pay down the debt on high school construction and for renovation projects at other schools, school officials said. The county wants the tax for replacement schools for Clyattville Elementary School, Lake Park Elementary School and Lowndes Middle School, school officials said.

Meanwhile, voters living in District 2 of the Valdosta Board of Education can cast a ballot for a candidate to replace the seat vacated last year by Vanessa Flucas who left to take a position with the City of Valdosta neighborhood development department.

Candidates Kelisa Brown and Edgar Tooley are seeking the District 2 city school board seat.

Early voting continues in this race, March 4-8 and March 11-15. Election day is March 19 at precincts throughout the county, election officials said

 

All early voting is held at the Lowndes County Board of Elections, 2808 N. Oak St.

More information: Contact the Lowndes County Board of Elections, (229) 671-2850; or e-mail elections@lowndescounty.com.