David Gabriel will remain sheriff for another four years.
Gabriel narrowly defeated challenger James Jackson in the primary election on Tuesday to earn a third term as Oglethorpe County Sheriff.
Gabriel, first elected in 2016, received 1,445 of 2,633 (54.88%) votes. Jackson, who worked for the Sheriff’s Office from 2005-23, received 1,188 votes (45.11%).
“We look forward to serving the citizens of Oglethorpe County in a manner and the quality we’ve been giving for the last eight years,” Gabriel said. “Thank you for their votes and their support.”
There are no Democrat candidates, so Gabriel will run unopposed in the November general election.
Incumbents Jay Paul and Andy Saxon also won their contested races for County Commission Chairman and District 2 County Commissioner, but will run against Democratic candidates in November.
Of the 10,975 registered voters in Oglethorpe County, 3,206 voted in the primary. This was an increase from the 1,900 voters in the presidential primary in March.
Full election results are available on the Secretary of State’s website.
Commission Chair
Paul defeated Jerry Wayne Loggans 1,771-807 in the Republican primary.
“I am extremely appreciative to all my supporters,” Paul said in a text, “and I am equally grateful to Wayne Loggans for running a clean, honest campaign.”
Paul was first elected in 2020.
He will face Democrat Patrick Kim Bonds in the November general election, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
District 2 Commissioner
Incumbent Andy Saxon defeated Williamson Sintyl 471-176 in the Republican primary.
“I’m happy that I won,” Saxon said, “and I just look forward to serving four more years in that post if I can make it through the general election. I want to tell everybody that I deeply appreciate their support and confidence to serve as commissioner of District 2 and will try to do my best to make them proud of me.”
Saxon was first elected in 2012.
He will face Democrat Jaqueline D. Bosby in November’s general election, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Tax Commissioner
Dawn Johnson Scarborough defeated Teresa Jo Campbell 1,475-1,087 in the Republican primary to replace incumbent Sheila Arnold, who is retiring in December.
“I’m honored,” Scarborough said. “I’m very appreciative. I would like to thank Teresa Jo for running such a great race. I look forward to getting to work for the county and working with Sheila to get trained and ready to go.”
She will not face opposition in the November general election.
District Attorney
Incumbent Parks White had 59.94% of the vote (1,505 votes) to defeat challenger David Jordan, who had 40.06% (1,006 votes), in the race for district attorney of the Northern Judicial Circuit.
The circuit includes Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
Other local elections
- Incumbent Will Brown was unopposed in the Republican primary for County Commission District 4 seat.
- Incumbent Megan Nicole Coile was unopposed in the nonpartisan general election for Chief Magistrate.
- Incumbent Kayla Harris Grier was unopposed in the nonpartisan general election for Probate Court Judge.
- Incumbent Jason M. Lewis was unopposed in the Republican primary for Coroner.
- Incumbent Kelli Paradise Smith was unopposed in the Republican primary for Clerk of Superior Court.
- Incumbent Guillermo Camacho was unopposed in the Republican primary for the County Board of Education seat for District 1.
- Incumbent Tim Poole was unopposed in the Republican primary for the County Board of Education seat for District 2.
- Incumbent Jake Willcox was unopposed in the Republican primary for the County Board of Education Seat for District 4.
They will be unopposed in November.
State, national elections
- Incumbent Lee Anderson was unopposed in the Republican primary for the State Senate seat for District 24. He will be unopposed in November.
- Lexy Doherty defeated Jessica Fore 248-226 in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives District 10 seat. She will face incumbent Republican Mike Collins, who ran unopposed in the primary, in November.
- Melanie Miller defeated Rickie Glenn in the Democratic primary for the State House of Representatives District 124 seat. She will face incumbent Republican Trey Rhodes, who ran unopposed in the primary, in November.