Baldwin Co. records 71% voter turnout

Published 11:00 am Sunday, November 10, 2024

For the first time since Baldwin County’s political delegation increased to three members, it will consist of a majority of Black state lawmakers when the Georgia General Assembly convenes in January 2025.

When State Sen. Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville) returns to the Gold Dome in next legislative session, he will be joined again by longtime State Rep. Mack Jackson (D-Sandersville) and newly-elected State Rep. Floyd L. Griffin Jr.

Williams soundly won the Republican Primary earlier this year over his challenger. He had no opposition from the Democrats in the General Election. In Baldwin County, Williams, who represents District 25 in the Georgia Senate, received a total of 14,526 votes. His vote counts were high in each of the other counties within the district, too.

It was a different story for Williams’ colleagues in the Georgia House of Representatives. Both of them faced Republican candidates, one of whom was seeking re-election to another term.

State Rep. Ken Vance (R-Milledgeville) was hopeful of winning reelection to state office, but that idea was spoiled when Griffin surprised him with a come-from-behind victory. Vance, who was publicly endorsed by Gov. Brian Kemp, had no problem capturing overall wins in both Baldwin and Jones counties. The former longtime member of Milledgeville City Council who later served for 13 years as executive director of the Georgia Peace Officers Standards Training Council (P.O.S.T.) collected a total of 8,420 votes or 53.98% of the votes in Baldwin County as compared to Griffin’s 7,178 votes or 46.02%.

In Jones County, meanwhile, Vance defeated Griffin by a margin of 110 votes. Vance received a total of 824 votes, or 53.58%, to Griffin’s 714 votes or 46.42%.

Everything was going good for Vance until election returns were tallied in the four precincts of East Macon-Bibb County, a predominately Black Democratic area in the newly created House District 149. That’s where Griffin forged ahead and won all four of those precincts to ensure himself of a return to the state capital in Atlanta as one of the state’s newly elected lawmakers.

Although it was the first time Griffin and Vance had ever gone toe to toe against each other in a political race, they had served in public office together. The two men once served on Milledgeville City Council. Vance was a city alderman while Griffin served as mayor following his tenure as a member in the Georgia State Senate.

Griffin was the first Black man ever elected to the Georgia Senate and the first Black man to ever serve as mayor of Milledgeville.

Prior to Tuesday night’s 2024 Presidential General Election, Griffin’s latest attempt to win a state office came when he ran unsuccessful for Georgia Secretary of State in the Democratic Primary earlier this year.

Jackson, meanwhile, who has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 2009, narrowly turned back a strong challenge from Republican hopeful Tracy Wheeler. Jackson managed to keep his seat in the state House by a total of 47 votes.

Overall in District 129, which spans the counties of Baldwin, Washington, Hancock, Warren, Glascock, and McDuffie, Jackson totaled 13,921 votes, or 50.08%, to Wheeler’s 13,874 votes, or 49.92 percent. 

In Warren County, only one vote separated the two candidates. Wheeler received 1,230 while Jackson collected 1,229 votes there.

Washington County, where Jackson lives, spelled the difference in the outcome of the race. There, Jackson garnered a total of 5,346 votes, or 57.80%, to Wheeler’s 3,903 votes, or 42.20%.

In other contested races, U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, who represents the Georgia’s 8th Congressional District, including Baldwin County, turned back Democratic challenger Darrius Butler to win re-election.

Scott is a Republican and visited Milledgeville and Baldwin County several times since he became the new representative of this area. 

In Tuesday’s Presidential General Election, a total of 18,961 voters, or 71%, of Baldwin County’s 26,743 registered voters cast ballots, according to unofficial election results released by Baldwin County Probate Judge and Elections Superintendent Todd A. Blackwell.