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Fair turnout expected for Tuesday’s primary

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

More than 30 percent of Coweta’s 48,000 voters are expected to head to the polls Tuesday to decide a number of races.

The race drawing the most interest in the past few weeks has been between incumbent Sheriff Mike Yeager and Scott Smith, who worked in law enforcement and owns a bail-bond company.

Smith has attacked Yeager for a growing crime rate in the county, but Yeager has maintained the crime committed in the county are no worse than other counties in the region.

Other races of note include:

• The County Commission District 1 race. Political legend Mutt Hunter decided to call it quits this year and three candidates are contending for the position. Ricky Ragan, Paul Poole and Mo Ridenhour have all stressed their local roots during the campaign and have advocated keeping the county’s tax rate low.

• Three school board races. Incumbent chairman Rick Melville is facing opposition from Sue Brown in the District 2 race. In the District 2 at large race, incumbent Allan Payton is facing opposition from Willie Boyd, Frank Farmer, Jason Smith and Gayle Whaley. In the District 5 race, incumbent Marihope Troutman faces off against county attorney Mitch Powell, Ada Long and Thad Spates.

• One contested state representative race and one state senate race. Craig Bowen and Billy Horne are vying to replace representative Lynn Westmoreland, who is running for Congress. Incumbent Sen Mitch Seabaugh is facing Susan Ebersbach.

The polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Any runoffs will be Aug 10.