Low Turnout For Democratic Run-Off
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Voters had recordlow waiting times in line in Montgomery, Toombs, and Wheeler Counties on Tuesday, June 21, as the polls opened once again for the Democratic Primary Run-Off. Democratic candidates for Secretary of State, Lieutenant Governor, Commissioner of Insurance, and Commissioner of Labor were on the ballot locally. Wheeler County saw only 111 total voters, 37 had voted over the previous week during Advance Voting and 6 were mail-in absentee votes. Montgomery County experienced a similar turnout, as 131 voters participated in the election, 20 Advance Voting and 18 through absentee ballots. Toombs County had 218 voters, 77 during Advance Voting and 38 in absentee ballots. According to election officials in all three counties, these low numbers were not a surprise to pollworkers, as many expected a much smaller turnout than was seen in the Primary Election on May 24. That is why the state of Georgia only held Advance Voting for a single week rather than for three weeks, including at least one Saturday, as was the regulation prior to the Primary Election.
State Results
State Representative Bee Nguyen (D-Atlanta) won the democratic candidacy for the Secretary of State position. Nguyen garnered 77.02% of the total vote, while his opponent, Former State Representative Dee Dawkins-Haigler, received 22.98% of the total vote. Nguyen will face incumbent Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in November.
Former Prosecutor and 2018 Democratic Attorney General Nominee Charlie Bailey defeated Former Congressman and Atlanta City Councilmember Kwanza Hall in 162,350 (63.07%) to 95,052 (36.93%) votes. Bailey will now take on Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) for the Lieutenant Governor post in the fall.
Two insurance industry veterans, former Democratic Insurance Commissioner Nominee Janice Laws Robinson and Raphael Baker, faced off for the Commissioner of Insurance candidacy. Robinson defeated Baker, 63.74% to 36.26%, as she took home a total of 158,276 votes. Baker will face incumbent Republican Insurance Commissioner John King at the general election.
State Representative William “Will” Boddie Jr. (D-East Point) will take on Republican Nominee Senator Bruce Thompson (R-White) in the fall. Boddie received 156,689 votes during the run-off, 62.26%. Boddie’s opponent, Former Workforce Business Owner Nicole Horn, received 94,997 votes, 37.74%.
The polls will open once again in the fall, as the General Election is scheduled for November 8.
