Voters in Franklin County Have Local Elections, Referendum Added to Already Lengthy Ballot

Voters in Georgia have a lengthy ballot to go through this mid-term election, and many counties like Franklin County, also have local elections and referendums to decide.

In the State races, voters are deciding on a U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative.

Voters will also choose a State Senator and State House Representative.

In other State races, voters in Georgia are choosing a Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, State School Superintendent, Insurance Commissioner, and State Attorney General.

In Franklin County, voters are also deciding on two County Commission seats and a new County Commission Chair, and three Board of Education races.

However, both the two County Commission and three Board of Education candidates are all running unopposed.

The only contested race in Franklin County is the County Commission Chair race in which the candidates include former County Commissioner Jeff Jacques, Lavonia attorney Doug Kidd, and local farmer Courtney Long.

Voters statewide are deciding on two Georgia Constitutional Amendments and two Statewide referendums.

Franklin County voters are also deciding whether to approve the next Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST VI).

A special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST) is a financing method for funding capital outlay projects in the state of Georgia.

It is an optional 1% sales tax levied by any county in the state for the purpose of funding the building of parks, schools, roads, and other public facilities.

The County is expecting to collect about $15.5 million in SPLOST revenue over the next six years if approved by the voters this election.

Of that, the County has allocated $3.8 million of the penny tax to go towards paying down the General Obligation Debt the county incurred when Ty Cobb Healthcare sold the hospital in Lavonia to St. Mary’s Healthcare.

Under the breakdown, the County has also allocated $4 million for Road, Street, and Bridge projects, $2.4 million for Fire Services, $2.5 million for Public Safety, $3.7 million for Water, Sewer, and Utilities, and $1.5 million for Public Facilities.

$750,000 will go toward Industrial Development, $400,000 toward Recreation, and $100,000 is allocated to the Franklin-Hart County Airport.