Cherokee Tribune – District 22 special election race heads to runoff

CANTON — Macedonia resident Sam Moore easily took the most votes in Tuesday’s special election to head to a runoff for the District 22 seat in the state House, but it went down to the wire to see who will be on the ballot against him Feb. 4.

Cherokee County high school teacher Meagan Biello edged Ball Ground businessman Jeff Duncan out by just two votes to get the other spot on the runoff ballot next month, according to unofficial results Tuesday evening.

Moore led the field with about 924 votes, or about 38 percent of the 2,433 votes cast for the seat covering parts of Cherokee, Forsyth and Fulton counties. Biello got 576 votes, or about 24 percent, to Duncan’s 574 votes. Canton-based attorney Nate Cochran trailed the field with 359, or about 15 percent of the vote, unofficial results showed.

The candidates were vying in the special election to replace the late state Rep. Calvin Hill, who died from leukemia in late October.

Because Duncan missed the runoff by less than 1 percent of the vote, he is within his rights to ask for a recount within two business days of when the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office certifies the results of the election, said Janet Munda, Cherokee elections supervisor. Munda said she estimated the results would be certified by Monday.

Duncan said in a statement Tuesday night he would make a decision in the next few days on how to move forward.

“I am going to spend tonight with my family in prayer and reflection to determine what my next step will be in this process in the coming days,” Duncan said in the statement.

After the results came in Tuesday evening, Moore, the clear leader all night, said he felt good about his chances in the runoff.

“I think I have a great chance,” said Moore, who says he’s planning to open a small business. He said he would be going into the runoff with a lot of momentum.

Biello, who came in second in Cherokee with 545 votes, or about 26 percent of the vote, said she planned to campaign hard before the runoff.
“I feel great; I’m reinvigorated,” Biello said Tuesday night. “I’m excited and I’m looking forward to the runoff.”

via Cherokee Tribune – District 22 special election race heads to runoff.