Beach Leads Senate Race, House Race Goes into Run-Off

With all precincts reporting in Cherokee and Fulton counties, it appears Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Brandon Beach leads former State Rep. Sean Jerguson in the Georgia Senate District 21 special election.

However, the Georgia House District 21 race will head to a Feb. 5 run-off. 

Beach appears to have defeated Jerguson with 58 percent, or 5,470 votes, compared to Jerguson's 42 percent, or 4,031 votes. 

Just in Cherokee, Beach received 51.75 percent, or 3,925, over Jerguson's 48.25 percent, or 3,660. Beach's lead in Fulton County was more evident as he received 81 percent, or 1,545, over Jerguson's 19 percent, or 371 votes.

While all the votes in the House District 21 race has been counted, neither of the four candidates received the 50 percent plus one majority needed to avoid a run-off. 

Scot Turner currently leads the pack with 1,496 votes, or 46.39 percent of the vote while Brian Laurens is in second place with 971 votes, or 30.11 percent.

Democrat Natalie Bergeron earned 21.43 percent, or 691 votes, while Republican Kenneth Mimbs received 2 percent, or 67 votes.

Both Laurens and Turner will face off in the run-off election slated for Feb. 5.  

Update at 5:30 p.m.: Election workers at polling places inside Hopewell Middle School and Cogburn Woods Elementary School in Milton said voter turnout was very light. Only 82 of 2,237 registered voters had come to the poll today at Hopewell by 5 p.m. More voters showed up by 5 p.m. at Cogburn Woods – 98 – but this precinct has 3,967 registered voters recorded.

Update at 4:15 p.m.: Janet Munda, supervisor of Elections and Registration for Cherokee County, said voting today has been "pretty slow." She said some polling places had as many as 250 voters so far. She doesn't think advance voting has made much difference because those who are going to vote will always get out and vote.

Update at 12:56 p.m.: Sherry Rakestraw, poll manager for the Deer Run precinct at Towne Lake Community Church, said only 52 voters have cast ballots so far in today's special election.

Only one person showed up at the polling place, but had to be turned away since he didn't live in the district, she added. 

Rakestraw said voting today has been "very slow," despite the intensity of the Senate District 21 campaign.  

"I don't know why so many aren't voting," she said. 

Update at 10:57 a.m.: poll workers at the Little River precinct say out of 25 people who showed up to vote this morning, 15 had to be turned away as they didn't live in Senate District 21. 

Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in parts of Cherokee County, Alpharetta and Milton for voters to choose the next person to be sworn into the Georgia House District 21 and Georgia Senate District 21 seats.

Voters in the state Senate District 21, which includes the eastern half of Cherokee County, Milton and part of Alpharetta, will choose between former State Rep. Sean Jerguson of Holly Springs and Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Brandon Beach of Alpharetta. 

Voters in House District 21, which includes parts of Holly Springs, Canton and southeast Cherokee County, will choose between Republicans Scot Turner, Brian Laurens, Kenneth Mimbs and Democrat Natalie Bergeron.

A run-off election for the House race, if needed, has been scheduled for Feb. 5.