Blog Topic: Raging Election

In the Loop: Jody Hice Is Paul Broun 2.0

By Blake Aued | May 22, 2014 2:23pm

Rep. Paul Broun may be gone after his bid for Senate failed Tuesday, but Mother Jonesargues argues that one of the men seeking to replace him is actually worse.

Jody Hice is in a runoff with trucking company owner Mike Collins of Jackson for Broun's 10th District seat. Says the liberal magazine:

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In the Loop: Four More Years for Mayor Nancy Denson

By Blake Aued | May 20, 2014 8:28pm

Bailey wins re-election; Dickerson ousts Lowry; Link and Watkins in a District 3 runoff.

Photo Credit: Heather Kennedy/Flickr

Polls are closed. It's all over but the countin'. Election returns should start coming in in about an hour, so check back. We'll be updating this post throughout the evening.

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In the Loop: Polls Are Open: Election Day Open Thread

By Blake Aued | May 20, 2014 7:00am

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

Mayor Nancy Denson campaigns outside Hill Chapel Baptist Church Saturday, May 10.

Athens voters head to the polls today to elect a nonpartisan mayor and three commissioners, as well as vote in Republican or Democratic primaries for U.S. Senate, Congress and statewide offices.

Before you vote, check out our guide to the local election. The Georgia Secretary of State's site can tell you whether you're registered and what districts you're in, and the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections has sample ballots, a list of polling places and other information. As always, don't forget a photo ID.

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In the Loop: How Tim Denson Can Win the Mayor's Race

By Blake Aued | May 19, 2014 4:25pm

Photo Credit: David Schick

Which Denson will survive Highlander: The Densoning?

I infamously wrote a couple of months ago that Tim had no chance to beat Nancy. I still think it's unlikely, but with election officials expecting just 21–22 percent turnout, Tim has a puncher's chance. Here's what it would take for him to win.

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In the Loop: Pre-Election Day Roundup

By Blake Aued | May 19, 2014 12:01pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

District 1 candidate Sharyn Dickerson (center) and District 5 Commissioner Jared Bailey (right).

Early voting is over and Election Day is tomorrow. Here's what's happening in the waning days and hours of the campaign.

• Early voting numbers were just sad: 3,186 in-office ballots cast and 285 absentee ballots mailed out in a county with 54,000 registered voters. Supervisor of Elections and Voter Registration Gail Schrader did not have partisan figures at her fingertips, but more voters are picking Democratic ballots than Republican, she said. (UPDATE: 2,027 Democratic ballots and 1,130 Republican, which is about the usual ration.) Overall, Schrader expects a mere 21–22 percent turnout.

• Tim Denson went on Tim Bryant this morning and hit back at Mayor Nancy Denson for saying that Tim will "more than double" your property taxes. "I'm shocked that she would say that, being a former tax commissioner, because she has to see that there's no way that would happen, ever," he said. "That's an extreme exaggeration, a bit of fear mongering here." Nancy will be on 1340 WGAU tomorrow at 9 a.m.

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In the Loop: 'Constitutionalist' Congressional Candidate Jody Hice Doesn't Know What's in the Constitution

By Blake Aued | May 15, 2014 11:29am

10th District congressional candidate and Henry Rollins lookalike Jody Hice has positioned himself as Rep. Paul Broun's successor, calling himself a "constitutionalist," adopting Broun's four-way test and frequently waving around a small copy of the Constitution at campaign stops.

One of Hice's six Republican opponents, Stephen Simpson, called him on it during an Atlanta Press Club debate on Sunday.

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In the Loop: Senate Candidates Pile on David Perdue

By Blake Aued | May 13, 2014 11:11am

Three Republican candidates for U.S. Senate sparred at an Athens/Oconee GOP meeting Monday night, and they all have at least one thing in common—their sights are set on David Perdue.

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In the Loop: Read Our Voter Guide and Vote Early

By Blake Aued | May 9, 2014 1:16pm

If you've been too busy working to vote, put off mowing the lawn Saturday and head downtown.

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In the Loop: Fact-Checking Mayor Nancy Denson and Tim Denson at the Federation of Neighborhoods Forum

By Blake Aued | May 6, 2014 4:11pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

Candidates for Athens-Clarke County mayor and commission faced off at a Federation of Neighborhoods-sponsored forum Monday night at the Melting Point. While there weren't any fireworks, and there wasn't much that folks who've been following the races haven'theard already, a few statements caught my ear. So I've spent the day finding out whether they're true. Here's what I came up with:

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In the Loop: Is Mayor Denson Blaming Victims of Sexual Assault?

By Blake Aued | May 1, 2014 1:47pm

The Junior League sponsored a last-minute forum Wednesday night for Mayor Nancy Denson and challenger Tim Denson.

In light of this week's Flagpole cover story and President Barack Obama's recommendationsto stem the growing number of sexual assaults on college campuses, someone asked a question about preventing sexual assaults in Athens. Nancy sent what could be considered some mixed messages.

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