By Megan Horn and Enoch Autry
Tribune Staff
Out of six cities in Rabun County, only Clayton and Tallulah Falls have contested races and will have candidates up for a vote on the ballot for the Nov. 7 election.
County voters will also be able to vote on a continuation of the one percent sale and use Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) already in place.
If approved by voters, the E-SPLOST will be used for a new Rabun County High School academic building in addition to maintenance on existing buildings, buses and technology.
Voters also will decide if $38 million in aggregate principal amount of Rabun County School District general obligation bonds shall be issued.
City of Clayton
For the city of Clayton, two council seats are being contested.
Incumbent council member David Cross of Post 4 will be challenged by Sarah Beth Gillespie. Anthony Allen and Andrew Green will be on the ballot for Post 3.
Current Post 3 council member Woody Blalock chose not to seek re-election.
Stacy L. Fountain will run unopposed for the Post 5 seat. Current Post 5 council member and Mayor Pro Tem John Bradshaw did not seek re-election.
The Rabun County Democratic Party, Rabun GOP, Rabun County Coalition for Good Government and The Clayton Tribune are sponsoring an Election Debate between candidates Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. at the Rabun County Civic Center, 201 West Savannah Street, Clayton.
Town of Tallulah Falls
In the Town of Tallulah Falls, Incumbent Mayor Mike Early will face Paul Marsteller and Dan A. Hayes.
As for council members, incumbents Joey Fountain and Craig Weatherly qualified. James Franklin also qualified and the three are running for two council seats up for grabs.
In addition to the Tallulah Falls election, Sunday alcohol sales will be on the Nov. 7 ballot for voters to consider.
Voters will decide about whether to allow Sunday sales of wine and malt beverages by the drink and also package sales of malt beverages and wine on Sundays.
Voters will check “yes” or “no” to two questions during the Nov. 7 election.
-”Shall the governing authority of the Town of Tallulah Falls, Georgia, be authorized to permit and regulate Sunday sales of wine and malt beverages for beverage purposes by the drink?”
-”Shall the governing authority of the Town of Tallulah Falls, Georgia, be authorized to permit and regulate package sales of both malt beverages and wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.?”
The Tallulah Falls Special Election to fill the unexpired term of Tommy Tilley scheduled for November 7 has been canceled. Candidate Gerald Michael Urpschot was the only person to qualify for the seat.
City of Dillard
The city of Dillard General Election scheduled for Nov. 7 is canceled because candidate Gordon Jenkins at Post 2 and Jack Roberts at Post 6 qualified for office and are unopposed.
Town of Tiger
The Town of Tiger General Election scheduled for Nov. 7 is canceled because incumbent mayoral candidate Michael Carnes and candidates for council member Jackie Watts, Karen Lovell, Pete Marziliano and James Gragg qualified for office and are unopposed.
City of Mountain City
The City of Mountain City General Election scheduled for Nov. 7 is canceled because incumbent mayoral candidate Grace Watts and incumbent council member candidates Michael Holt with Post 1 and Eric McCrackin with Post 4 qualified for office and are unopposed.
City of Sky Valley
The City of Sky Valley General Election scheduled for Nov. 7 has been canceled because incumbent mayoral candidate Hollie Steil and candidates William Oliver, Bruce Turner and Dan McFee qualified for office and are unopposed.
For the canceled elections, “The above unopposed candidate shall be deemed to have voted for him/herself,” according to the notice of election cancellation from Tammy Whitmire, election director of Rabun County.
Important voter information
The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 7 General Election is Oct. 10.
Early/advanced voting will be held at the Board of Elections and Registration Office located at 184 South Main St., Suite 102, Clayton, from Oct. 16-Nov. 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
On election day, Clayton residents and county voters will cast their ballots between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Board of Elections and Registration Office. Tallulah Falls residents will vote at Tallulah Falls Town Hall, 255 Main St., Tallulah Falls, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
For more information about the general election and how to register to vote, contact Tammy Whitmire, election director of Rabun County, at 706-782-1878 or visit https://rabuncounty.ga.gov/elections