Early Voting Opens Monday

Citizens in Glenwood, Mount Vernon, Vidalia, and Lyons will be able to begin visiting the polls on Monday, October 16, as the early voting period begins in preparation for the municipal elections on November 7.

In Glenwood, several City Council posts and the mayoral seat will be on the ballot, as well as a Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum.

Also, for the first time in 40 years, long-time Mayor and businessman G.M. Joiner will have opposition as he tosses his hat into the political ring one more time. Ava Bess Jones, a teacher, is challenging Joiner for the post.

The five Glenwood City Council seats are also up for grabs and two newcomers are challenging four incumbents for the positions. One of the longtime Council members, Winston Powell, will not seek reelection.

Janaria Bryant, an assistant shift supervisor at Wheeler Correctional Facility, and Thomas Matthew Johnson, a lineman with Altamaha EMC, will be running against incumbents Cynthia Kinchen, Eric Walter Lee Pearce, Billy Thigpen, and Wesley Ray Yawn. The top five voter getters will win the at-large posts.

Early voting in Glenwood will be held at the Registrar’s Office at 16 West Forest Avenue, Suite 101 B (multi-purpose center) in Alamo, and will begin Monday, October 16, and continued from page

be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday each week until November 3. There will be additional Saturday voting opportunities on October 21 and 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 27 is the final day to apply for absentee ballots which may be submitted until November 7.

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon has four candidates seeking three of the Council’s atlarge seats, as newcomer Amber Conway takes on incumbents Pete Horton, Jerry M. “Hoppy” Sikes, and Elizabeth Williams for the positions.

Early voting will be held at the Montgomery County Government Annex, which located at 251 South Richardson Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This voting period begins Monday, October 16, and ends Friday, November 3, with Saturday voting opportunities being held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on October 21 and October 28.

Vidalia

Two Vidalia City Councilmen are facing opposition, as incumbent Councilman At-Large Bob Dixon goes up against Elizabeth Harvill, and Ward 4 Councilman Loyd Mobley is contested by Connie Williams.

In addition to this, the Vidalia City Schools Board of Education also has three elections this November, as Ward 1 Board Member Andy Blount faces Belva R. Franklin, Ward 3 Board Member Bruce Asberry goes up against Brittany Black, and Board Member At-Large Julee Torrance is opposed by Gerriell Craig.

Early voting will be held at the Vidalia Police Department in the Vidalia Municipal Annex, and will begin Monday, October 16, and will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday of each week until November 3. Two Saturday voting opportunities will also be available on October 21 and October 28 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Lyons

Only one race will be on the ballot in Lyons, as citizens in Ward 5 will cast their vote for incumbent City Councilman Rick Hartley’s successor. Hartley announced over the summer that he would not be seeking re-election, and wished anyone who desired to run for the office good luck. Since then, both Jency Jeffers and Drayton Oliver have qualified for continued from page

the seat. Early voting will be held at the Toombs County Election and Registration office, and will begin Monday, October 16, and will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday of each week until November 3. Two Saturday voting opportunities will also be available on October 21 and October 28 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Ballots

Glenwood

Mayor: G.M. Joiner (incumbent) vs. Ava Bess Jones City Council (5 Seats Available): Janaria Bryant vs. Thomas Matthew Johnson vs. Cynthia Kinchen (incumbent) vs. Eric Walter Lee Pearce (incumbent) vs. Billy Thigpen (incumbent) vs. Wesley Ray Yawn (incumbent)

SPLOST Referendum Mount Vernon

City Council (3 Seats): Amber Conway vs. Pete Horton (incumbent) vs. Jerry M. “Hoppy” Sikes (incumbent) vs. Elizabeth Williams (incumbent) Vidalia

City Council At-Large: Elizabeth Harvill vs. Bob Dixon (incumbent) City Council Ward 4: Connie Williams vs. Loyd Mobley (incumbent) Board of Education At-Large: Gerriell Craig vs., Julee Torrance (incumbent) Board of Education Ward 1: Belva R. Franklin vs. Andy Blount (incumbent) Board of Education Ward 3: Brittany Black vs. Bruce Asberry (incumbent) Lyons City Council Ward 5: Drayton Oliver vs. Jency Jeffers