Georgia Politics, Campaigns and Elections for December 13, 2013

Voting begins Monday for January Special Elections

Thanks to the readers who followed-up and let me know that Fulton County has now posted Early/Advance Voting information for the Special Election being held on January 7, 2014 in House District 22. Voters may cast ballots in the race to succeed the late Rep. Calvin Hill at Alpharetta Branch Library, 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 beginning Monday December 16th from 8:30 to 5 PM. I suggest contacting the Elections Board office if you have any questions and to double-check voting times.

Click here for full information on Early/Advance voting in Forsyth County portions of House District 22.

Click here for full information on Early/Advance voting in Cherokee County portions of House District 22.

In Catoosa County, House District 2 voters begin Early/Advance voting on Monday at two locations:

Catoosa Hall
7658 Nashville Street
Ringgold, GA

Westside Voting Precinct
3319 Lakeview Dr
Rossville, GA  30741

We will bring you information on Walker and Whitfield County Early/Advance Voting when we learn the dates and locations. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp now has a page with Advance Voting information as it becomes available.

We’re in the process of updating our page of links to the 2014 Campaigns already underway, and believe that the information for candidates in the January Special Elections is current. Please send us information about any campaigns we’re missing and we’ll add them.

Georgia high school graduation rates tick upward

Georgia’s statewide graduation rate moved into passing-grade territory with a nearly two point rise to 71 percent. From Georgia Public Broadcasting:

Matt Cardoza, a spokesman for the state Department of Education, says Georgia’s high school graduation rate is improving.

“2011 we saw 67.5 percent in that first year under the new method. Last year at 69.7 and this year at 71.5. So seeing a couple point increase each year, which is very encouraging,” he said.

Governor Nathan Deal is happy with the improvement, but says, ideally, he would like to see every student graduate and get a high school diploma.

“Certainly any improvement is good news and I’m glad to hear that. But it doesn’t mean that we can stop. We have to continue to find innovative ways to make sure that we continue to improve the graduation rates in our state,” said Deal.

The highest graduation rate for a county school system in the state was from Fayette County.

Fayette County schools scored highest in the 10-county metro Atlanta area with a four-year graduation rate of 87.3 percent.

Henry County schools had a graduation rate of 78.5 percent, and Cherokee schools tied with Rockdale County schools with 78 percent.

Among all school systems including city schools, the AJC calculated:

At 93.9 percent, Decatur City has the highest graduation rate in metro Atlanta, followed by Buford City at 90.3 percent and Forsyth at 89.5 percent.

Senator Bruce Thompson sworn-in

Senator Bruce Thompson takes the oath of office as his wife Becky holds the family Bible and Judge William “Billy” Ray, II administers the oath. Before being appointed to Gwinnett County Superior Court, Judge Ray was elected to the State Senate from District 48, now held by Senate President Pro Tem David Shafer. Gov. Nathan Deal elevated Ray to the Georgia Court of Appeals.

“I am deeply humbled for the opportunity to serve the constituents of the 14^th Senate District,” said Sen. Bruce Thompson. “I look forward working with my colleagues in the General Assembly and am committed to making Georgia a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

Here’s a little perspective on voter turnout this year; whether it portends low turnout next year remains to be seen.

2013 November Special Election – 7,206 votes cast

2013 December Special Runoff Election – 4,337 votes cast

2011 November Special Election Senate 28 – 14,969 votes cast

2011 November Special Election Senate 50 – 15,648 votes cast

2011 December Special Runoff Election Senate 28 – 8,902 votes cast

2011 December Special Runoff Election Senate 50 – 12,245 votes cast

We note that Bruce Thompson is a 2013 Graduate of Republican Leadership for Georgia, while Senator John Wilkinson graduated from RLG in 2011 and went to win election to the Senate in December of that year. We’re expecting a lot from the Class of 2014.

Subpoenas issued in State Ethics Commission fiasco

Subpoenas were issued to at least five current and former employees of the Georgia State Ethics Commission Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission requiring appearances before a federal grand jury investigating the Commission’s investigation of Governor Deal.

Georgia’s Republican National Committee Man Randy Evans responded with an email discussing the issue at length.

Next year, Georgians will re-elect Governor Nathan Deal. But, liberal national Democrats aided by a few disgruntled politicians will throw everything they have at him.

Governor Deal has a great record. So, expect them to revert back to the ‘politics of personal destruction’ with the same things they have tried before – smears and personal attacks.

Indeed, already former Democratic one term governor Roy Barnes leads (and funds) a political committee to attack Governor Deal that calls itself “Better Georgia”.

So far, this group acts in coordination with the Atlanta Journal Constitution with retreads of old attacks – all of which have been rejected by every agency to investigate and decide them.

The lawsuit is not against the Governor and does not involve anything that the Governor has done or alleged to have done. Instead, various Commission staff (present and former) have made allegations against each other for things that occurred during the time that claims against Governor Deal (decided in his favor) were pending.

Having represented many high profile candidates, I can safely say that Governor Deal underwent the highest level of scrutiny of any candidate in Georgia history and came out with no violations of the rules and laws and a 99.98% accuracy rate for technicalities of his filings. No other Georgia candidate’s campaign of comparable size has ever met this level of accuracy.

If you haven’t read Randy’s email already, I highly suggest reading it to acquaint yourself with the facts about the FBI investigation.

Events Calendar

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Fayette County GOP: Christmas Party