Sheriff's candidates return to the campaign trail

UNDATED - Two incumbent sheriffs in the North Georgia area easily won re-election in Tuesday's primary races. Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell and Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle will return to office without a run-off. That is not the case in a number of other counties, however.

In Hall County, former Chief Deputy Jeff Strickland and former Hall County Sheriff's Department and Gainesville Police Department employee Gerald Couch emerged as the frontrunners in the sheriff's race.

Strickland garned the most votes in the five-man race, taking 33.35% of the vote to Couch's 31.33%.

"I ask every one of them [supporters] to stay with us through this thing," said Strickland. "I want to energize my folks, and we're gonna go all out because I want to serve as sheriff of Hall County.

Couch said Tuesday night he's ready for the run-off.

"We're still in this fight, we're still in this race and the fight is still on," said Couch.

In the Hall County race Jon P. Strickland was a close third with 28.78 percent, followed by Chuck Hewett, who conceded with 4.19 percent, and finally John Sisk at 2.35 percent. Hewett endorsed Couch Tuesday evening; Jon P. Strickland and Sisk did not indicate who they will support in the run-off.

In other sheriff's races in the area, incumbent Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton faces a run-off with Republican challenger Duane K. Piper. GOP candidates Carlton Speed and Clint McCoy will face off in a Banks County run-off for sheriff.

A total of seven candidates ran for sheriff of Jackson County. Janis Mangum and Ramone Gilbert finished in the top two positions in that race, so they are headed for a run-off on August 21.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/8/251331