Athens Classic, Inc. Weekly Election Bulletin - Monday, May 9, 2022
Advance (Early) Voting Underway, List of Locations Expand in Athens during second week -
Georgia voters set an Advance Voting Primary Election record on Monday, May 2, 2022, with more than 347,000+ votes cast. The bulk of those ballots were cast in the GOP primary.
Advance voting locations in Athens for the remainder of early voting, through Friday, May 20, 2022 have been expanded. The Absentee Ballot Drop Box location remains downtown at the Clarke County Board of Elections and central Advance Voting Precinct.
https://www.accgov.com/243/Advance-Voting
Advance Voting Dates for May 24 General Primary/Nonpartisan/Special Election
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Voting via Absentee Ballot -
You will need to either have your existing Driver's License on file (most registered voters already have this), or provide a copy or upload an image of a state or federal government photo I.D. along with your Absentee Ballot application. For UGA students, your UGA Student I.D. is also accepted. PLEASE mail or hand-deliver your Absentee Ballot application by May 13, 2022. Georgia law now requires 11-days to process your application, send you an Absentee Ballot, and to allow the voter to return the ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/Absentee_Ballot_Application_20212.pdf
Athens Classic, Inc. Voter Recommendations -
Athens Classic, Inc. is a nonpartisan and nonprofit community organization, focused on making improvements in three areas of policy and local governance in our Classic City - Public Safety, Public Education, and Public Health.
Since our formation in the summer of 2020, we have been primarily focused on the area of public safety, and related issues such as spikes in violent crime in Athens, a surge in the population of homeless, and/or beggars claiming to be unhoused, the formation and appointment of a new citizen Police Advisory Task Force and overall funding, staffing, and training for our public safety personnel and first responders in the Athens/Clarke County Police Department, as well as the Office of Sheriff.
Our board members and executive committee have attended several of the area candidate forums and made efforts to individually meet and talk with almost all interested candidates for Mayor and Commission Districts #1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.
We recognize fully that each of these races is nonpartisan. We made effort to identify and now recommend to you, candidates with proven track records in the community or in prior positions of leadership and responsibility, whom we believe will lead with an eye towards building consensus, and who will listen to all voices, not just the loudest ones...and who demonstrate a more centrist and common sense approach to local governance...versus a belief that more government is the solution to every problem.
District # 1 -
Incumbent District # 1 Commissioner Patrick Davenport is being challenged by educator Audrey Hughes for one of Athens'
two Eastside districts.
Patrick Davenport website - https://www.patrickdistrict1.com/
Audrey Hughes website - https://audreyforathens.poliengine.com/
Athens Classic, Inc. makes no recommendation in District #1. Voters are suggested to do their own research and make the choice they feel is best.
District # 3 -
First-time candidates and entrepreneurs Tiffany Taylor and Asia Thomas are seeking to serve District #3. Both are energetic and sincere Millenial black women. Both speak passionately about programs and initiatives to improve youth development, reduce gun violence, and increase community engagement. Ms. Taylor is the more Progressive of the pair. Ms. Thomas speaks a good bit about the role of the community and private sector in building a better Athens. Economic development, better jobs, and a more diverse regional economy through expanded opportunities for entrepreneurship are part of the vision that Ms. Thomas offers to voters.
Athens Classic, Inc. recommends Ms. Asia Thomas for the office of District # 3 Commissioner.
Asia Thomas campaign website - https://www.asiatheadvocate.com/
District # 5 -
A trio vies for District #5, being vacated by Commissioner Tim Denson, now seeking a seat on the Clarke County School Board. Former Commissioner Jared Bailey, longtime UGA Facilities Executive Dexter Fisher, and self-labeled Progressive candidate, Matt Pulver.
Bailey has prior experience on the Commission (2011-2017) and is also a well-known entrepreneur, previously owning the 40Watt Club, and co-founding AthFest and The Flagpole. Pulver would come closest to replacing the viewpoint and voting record of outgoing Commissioner Tim Denson and is an advocate for racial and economic justice, as well as a harsh critic of the new districts and the process by which the Georgia General Assembly drew the new district maps. The most reasoned and common-sense voice of these three belongs to Dexter Fisher, who has spent the past 31 years in Facilities Management at the University of Georgia. Fisher wants to better bridge the gap between the University and the city, as well as fight poverty with job training and entrepreneurship/apprentice programs.
With an acknowledgment and thanks to Jared Bailey for his prior public service, Athens Classic, Inc. recommends Dexter Fisher as the strongest candidate seeking to win District # 5.
Dexter Fisher campaign website - https://www.dexterforcommissioner.com/
District # 7 -
A pair of candidates with strong views, but opposing visions of how best to guide the Classic City, face off in District # 7. Leaning in and left, Timothy Forward is a self-described Democrat and 'local politics wonk,' with prior service on the TSPLOST 2023 Advisory Committee. Forward is focusing on environmental sustainability, an expanded transportation network, and LGBTQ equality and inclusion. Business owner John Culpepper would like to see the Athens/Clarke County Commission and Clarke County School Board better partner in the service of public education and the nearly 14,000 students they serve. Culpepper also wants to see a cleaner Athens, which he believes will also help lead to a safer Athens. He is an advocate for investment in community infrastructure and quality growth through more diverse economic development efforts.
Athens Classic, Inc., recommends John Culpepper for the office of District #7 Commissioner.
John Culpepper campaign website - https://www.culpepperforathens.com/
District # 9 -
We believe it speaks volumes when a diverse district has no opponent offered for an incumbent, either for the Commission or the office of Mayor. District #9 Commissioner Ovita Thornton has deep roots in the Athens Eastside which she has long served, including a prior stint on the Clarke County School Board. Commissioner Thornton is an independent voice, not afraid to speak her mind, or on occasion attempt to block the freight trains carrying bad ideas, which in recent years seem to barrel more frequently into and through Commission meetings. Commissioner Thornton has a passion for helping in Athens many under-served communities, and for expanding and improving the quality of affordable housing stock across the county.
Athens Classic, Inc. heartily recommends the re-election of District #9 Commissioner Ovita Thornton.
Ovita Thornton campaign Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ovitathorntonfordistrict9commissioner
Office of Mayor -
Just as the absence of a challenger connotes a noticeable degree of community satisfaction with an incumbent officeholder, a candidate with five challengers might take note of some community disquiet in their leadership. Incumbent Mayor Kelly Girtz is articulate, well-spoken, affable, and well-studied on the mechanisms of local government. Prior to his election as Mayor, he served for 12 years on the Athens/Clarke County Commission and as a public schools educator for 20 years.
Girtz has five challengers, in alphabetic order -
- Bennie Coleman, III.
- Pearl Hall
- Fred Moorman
- Mykeisha Ross
- Mara Zuniga
Among the challengers, only Moorman and Zuniga might be considered centrist or to the political right of the Mayor. Only Mara Zuniga offers a coherent and different vision from the current trajectory that Athens/Clarke County government appears to be on. But the large field, ballot placement (by alphabet), apathetic local voters, and low awareness of local election contests make this a difficult contest to read or forecast.
Athens Classic, Inc. recommends Mara Zuniga in the race for Mayor, as she has demonstrated an ability to seek out and listen to a wide variety of points of view, and plans to work to represent the entire city, and not just the loudest voices, or a select few.
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