Do you EVER check any facts before you blog? This is indeed a partisan race per Georgia law. Parties do matter. You are just too dumb to be allowed to vote. Please do all of us a favor and stay home Tuesday. You are hopelessly misinformed.

Partisan means that two or more parties have primary elections so that each or all can offer up their candidate against the other(s) of the same party. This is like the national and state elections where Republicans and Democrats have a primary election and then the winner of each opposes one another in the general election.

Non-partisan means none of the above and all candidates run against one another in one election and the winner wins. There is no requirement that any candidate be a registered Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or even a dog or cat. There is no requirement that they specify any party affiliation when they qualify to run for county commissioner.

All candidates in this particular county commission race have decided to wrap themselves in the banner of either the donkey or elephant and that is their right, but it is not a requirement and it does not change the fact that this is supposed to be a non-partisan election.

Those are the facts.

I think it is a lot of fun when a hamster gets out of his cage. I have hours of fun chasing him all around. I hope you get out on Tuesday.

Guess the rodent told you all.

So why does Cal base his column endorsing Emory Wilkerson on party politics when he should know better?

Should we not be voting for the individual and his or her ability rather than the abilities of the national party to which the individual has claimed affiliation?

I will probably vote for Emory if I can somehow justify a position that is in agreement with Cal.
meow

I really hate to break it to the cat and the hamster, but you are both incorrect. I think the problem here is you are thinking of the way special elections have happened in the past. There has been a change in the Georgia Election Code, adopted in last year's session of the Georgia General Assembly, which requires candidates in special elections to state their party affiliation when qualifying to run. So Mr/Mrs. Hamster, it wasn't their choice to wrap themselves in the banner of a political party, it was a requirement of state law. For your information, here it is from the Official Code of Georgia, Annotated. Title 21-2-540 (e) states: "Candidates in special elections for partisan office shall be listed on the ballot according to party affiliation". County Commissioner is a partisan office as are most other offices in the county, with the exception of judges and city officials. If, say for example, a vacancy occurred in Peachtree City, that would be a non-partisan election. All this change in the law means is, if it is a partisan office i.e. Commissioner, School Board, etc. it takes a partisan special election to fill a vacancy. If it is a non-partisan post, then the special election has to be non-partisan. Next Tuesday will basically be like a general election in November, but instead of 1 Republican facing off against 1 Democrat, you will have to pick from a field of candidates ( 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats).

So Cal was and is well within his rights to base his vote and endorsement on party affiliation and I would like to commend him on the excellent editorial and for what its worth, I strongly second it. I couldn't agree more.

I hope this has enlightened you and please blog back if you have any other questions or comments.

Lane Watts

I did not know that, thank you. But aren't you an election official and is it appropriate for you to endorse a specific candidate by agreeing with and "strongly seconding" Cal's editorial which was a strong endorsement for Mr. Wilkerson?
meow

Dear Mudcat,

You are very welcome, I'm glad to help. No, I am not an "election official". Election officials are the poll workers and such that you will see tomorrow. I am a Republican activist and a citizen of this county, who cares deeply about my hometown.

I have had the opportunity to work with Emory Wilkerson on many projects and in several different capacities through the years. I hold him in the highest personal regard. We need someone like him as a public official in Fayette County.

One other factor in my support for Emory is the man he will replace on the commission. I was honored to be A.G. VanLandingham's campaign manager in 2000, the year he was first elected. Suffice it to say, I knew Van well and admired him greatly. He was called the "people's Commissioner" and for good reason. He had the best interest of the county in mind always and had the heart and character to serve. I see this same heart and character in Emory Wilkerson. That's why I'm supporting Emory and proudly so.

It may be perfectly okay for a newspaper or a member of its staff to use the newspaper to issue an endorsement of a candidate for public office, but I, personally, find it offensive. It's unfair, prejudicial, and just plain not right. Paid political ads are the only thing about contenders for upcoming elections that should be printed. Just my opinion.

Lawdawga