Oconee County, GA Politics

If I were a betting man, or laying odds or percentages for the G.O.P. side with the rumored early entrants of the race for the Republican nomination to replace Bob Smith for the House 113th district, I would lay chalk equally on Kirk Shook (30%), former Oconee County Board of Education member Tommy Malcom (30%) and UGA fundraiser Hank Huckaby (30%) across the district with them scrambling over the undecided 10% to find out who will emerge as the front runner. Of course that would almost certainly mean a Republican run-off most likely between Malcom and Huckaby. I do not expect this to be an ugly race at all. Although if there are feats of strength or a civics test, then the North Oconee Offensive Line Coach and government teacher Shook is the instant favorite. Huckaby contributed to Paul Broun's race in 2008, which is a badge of honor for some and the kiss of death for others.

Oconee County primary election season is almost upon us, and lots of signs of the upcoming early voting are here. First a few warnings: AVOID WATKINSVILLE AT NIGHT: unless you like to wait on Main Street for 15 minutes for an escort car to lead you around the on-going paving. I would suggest using Experiment Station Road, Water Street, Barnett Shoals or Whitehall/Simonton Bridge or any number of cut-thru routes or alternative roads or get on a bike or walk. THUMBS UP to my young NAMELESS neighbor : although he was not responsible for the ongoing vandalism to the ridiculous amount of political yard signs in my scruffy yard, he took the initiative to correct the turning upside down of the signs and what not when I came home at an odd hour for lunch the other day and most of the neighborhood kids were sitting under a tree and I had to threaten calling the cops on them. BTW, homey, I am glad you can read, and I appreciate your comment, but there is such a thing as a fair use doctrine and t...

Oconee County may account for only 22% of the 46th state senate district , but I wager our turn out will be upwards toward 80% of those eligible to vote will pull the lever or insert the card. Remember the register to vote by Monday if you have not done so already.

I have been griping about Tommy Malcom getting no love in a couple of articles in the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper, but here is one I missed

Voter suppression is a very hot button topic around Georgia, what with the poll tax, the county system, and various other nefarious schemes cooked up over the years and here. So this study and article should be of some interest to those who wish to Get Out the Vote and register more people. I wish we had voter registration tables at Gainesville State College campus in Oconee, the Oconee County Courthouse and every soccer, baseball and softball game (not to mention auto shows). Good to see Tommy Malcom out campaigning this weekend. When will Blake Aued of the Athens Banner-Herald cut Malcom a little bit of slack and at least include him in the conversation about State Senate District 46 seat held by Athens attorney Bill Cowsert? There have been a couple of articles and a few blog posts that sometimes do not even mention Malcom as a candidate against Cowsert, suddenly the darling of the state GOP party. I saw a lot of Malcom signs out Good Hope way in Walton County. What is Mike Maxey ...