The Fayette County Board of Education is getting a new member. As voting concluded on Tuesday night Mary Kay Bacallao trumped incumbent Terri Smith 35,165 votes to 19,053.
Smith’s last minute switch over to the Democratic Party seemed to have less to do with the outcome than voters outrage over the current state of the school board’s finances.
“I congratulate Mary Kay Bacallao on her win. I wish the school system and Dr. Bacallao much success.”
Board of Education member Marion Key had no competition for her Post 3 seat in July and had no Democratic competition, so she slid back into her seat again. Barry Marchman trounced challenger Scott Hollowell in the primaries and with no Democratic competition he walked away with the Post One Seat.
Contested county commission seats were settled in the July primary, with Randy Ognio, Charles Oddo and David Barlow winning handily over incumbents Lee Hearn and Robert Horgan and the retiring commission chairman Herb Frady.
It’s been a year that has seen the Fayette County GOP hold on to its ‘party of the majority status’ in all partisan elections.
The controversial Charter School Amendment pulled a big win with 34,465 yes votes to 21,302 nays. The overwhelming vote count gives state appointees the authority to grant charters to taxpayer funded schools even if the local school board opposes it. More than 90 percent of the funding to support the amendment came in from out-of-state conservatives.
The race was a lot tighter for passage of a continuation of the county’s E-SPLOST, with the decision squeaking by 30,218 votes in favor over 26,032 no votes.
Finally, Fayetteville residents made a nearly two to one decision to approve the Tax Allocation Districts at 3499 to 1508, with some paper ballots still left to be calculated. The TAD was the plan to benefit the city of Fayetteville to get redevelopment projects going in areas that could be left derelict as a result of the current economic situation and eventually the entities will see more tax money coming in.
Mitt Romney was the undisputed winner in Fayette County, which comes as no surprise in this largely Republican county, with a 64.85 percent win over President Barak Obama’s 33.59 percent.
Election results are unofficial until certified by the Secretary of State’s office. |
