NEWTON COUNTY – Two new commissioner-elects are expected to be sworn into office in just a few days.

District 3 commissioner-elect Stephanie Lindsey and District 5 commissioner-elect LeAnne Long are set to be sworn in on Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. A venue has not been made immediately available.

Lindsey won her bid for election against incumbent Alana Sanders following a runoff between the two in June. Long initially defeated Keith Ellis in the Republican primary in May and defeated Democratic challenger Tiijon DaCosta in November. Incumbent Ronnie Cowan did not seek re-election.

While Lindsey is set to be sworn in, there are questions as to whether she will remain in office for the long haul. 

Earlier this year, Lindsey along with suspended chairman Marcello Banes were indicted on a number of federal money laundering charges. The charges eventually resulted in Banes’ suspension from office by Governor Brian Kemp. 

Right now it is unclear whether or not that process will happen for Lindsey as well. If the Governor’s office were to decide to move forward in that process, the Governor must appoint a review commission consisting of two commissioners from across the state and the attorney general/or retired attorney general. 

The review commission must decide within seven days if there are grounds for recommendation regarding suspension. If the commission finds there are grounds for suspension, then the Governor has the option to exercise his/her right to suspend an elected official for any duration of time.

In that time, the Governor can also appoint an official to fill the seat of any suspended elected official. Earlier this year, Kemp named former District 2 commissioner Lanier Sims as chairman of the Board of Commissioners.