COVINGTON, Ga. —Newton voters will see a race for sheriff and a sales tax question on their General Election ballots and can make their choices early beginning Monday during the 16-day advance voting period.

Contested races for top county offices and a special election on a new SPLOST will be part of the lengthy ballot that includes President, two U.S. Senate seats, two U.S. House seats, state legislative seats, and district attorney.

Newton County voters have 15 weekdays and a Saturday to cast ballots in-person before Election Day on Nov. 3.

In addition to the sheriff’s race are races for coroner and tax commissioner, while a special election will ask if voters want to impose a 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for transportation needs.

Newton County Sheriff  

The sheriff’s race features three-term incumbent Democrat Ezell Brown and Republican challenger Ken Malcom.

Brown has worked in law enforcement in Newton County for 47 years, including 43 years with the sheriff’s office.

Malcom is a captain with the Covington Police Department, where he has worked for 34 years. He has commanded the Patrol Division, Operations Division, and Criminal Investigative Division, among other roles with the department.

Brown said he has worked to secure grant funding for the office; revamped practices, policies and procedures to align with nationally accepted standards of operation; and fulfilled requirements for three accrediting organizations. He said he also has personally handled internal and external concerns with the sheriff’s office; worked to improve community relations through regular communication; and built partnerships with community institutions, businesses, and civic organizations to help students and adults and help rehabilitate jail inmates.

Malcom has said he plans to establish a citizens’ advisory committee; improve response times to calls for service; incorporate new crime-fighting technology; and find better ways to recruit new personnel, among other efforts.

The candidates had spent a total of more than $112,000 from the start of their campaigns until Sept. 30 — with Malcom spending $86,000 and Brown $26,000, according to their latest campaign finance reports.

Brown, however, outspent Malcom $26,000 to $19,000 in the most recent reporting period, the reports showed.

The reporting period began after the June 9 primary election in which Brown was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Malcom spent the bulk of his funds — $67,000 — in his successful campaign against Clay Ivey for the Republican nomination.

The Newton County sheriff is the county’s chief law enforcement officer and jailer.  He is chiefly responsible for providing law enforcement service in Newton County’s unincorporated area; maintains and operates the county jail; provides courthouse security; and serves civil papers and arrest warrants.  

Tax Commissioner

Republican incumbent Dana Darby is being challenged by Democrat Marcus Jordan for the job of chief tax collector for the county.

The tax commissioner oversees billing, collecting, processing and distributing property taxes and serves as an agent of the state Revenue Commissioner for the registration of motor vehicles, according to information on the county website.

Darby is seeking a full four-year term after being sworn in as tax commissioner in September 2019 to complete the term of Barbara Dingler, who retired after 34 years in the office.

Darby worked in the office for 20 years and served as chief deputy tax commissioner before her appointment.

She and her supporters have cited her experience in the office and her fiscal conservatism as reasons for electing her to a full term.

Jordan has served as chief appraiser in the county tax appraiser’s office since 2014. He has worked in the tax appraiser’s office for 21 years, including 12 years as the assistant chief appraiser.

Jordan has said he will work to provide better links to the community; satellite locations and more user-friendly website; and lower wait times for the office’s services.

Coroner

Three-term incumbent Republican Tommy Davis is facing a challenge from Democrat Dorothea Bailey-Butts for the job Davis has held since 2008.

The county coroner is required to be notified and investigate deaths that meet criteria specified in state law, including suspicious or unexpected deaths and those caused by violence or suicide.

Davis, who also is a funeral director, served as a deputy coroner for five years before succeeding Bob Wheeler in 2008.

He has cited his experience in doing the work of coroner as a main reason for re-electing him. 

Bailey-Butts is a registered nurse and businesswoman. She was the 2016 Democratic nominee for the office but lost to Davis in the General Election. 

She has publicly cited her experience in the medical field as a reason for supporting her candidacy.

County Commissioner, District 1

Voters in southern and parts of southeastern and southwestern Newton County will have a choice between incumbent Republican Stan Edwards and Democratic challenger Catalata Hardeman for the seat representing them on the Newton County Commission. 

Edwards is seeking a second term. He was elected in 2016 after serving two years on the Newton County School Board.

He is an insurance agency manager who retired from AT&T after 34 years.

Hardeman is a mother of four and currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in business at Strayer University, according to her campaign Facebook page. 

County Commissioner, District 5 

Voters in northeastern and central Newton County will choose between incumbent Republican Ronnie Cowan and Democratic challenger Dorothy Piedrahita.

Cowan is seeking a second term. He is an attorney who also has served as a police officer, human resources director and administrative services director with the city of Covington.

Piedrahita has worked in business and in several roles in government in two states, including with the city of Atlanta and the state of Alabama.

Unopposed Candidates  

Candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot who are unopposed include incumbent Clerk of Superior Court Linda D. Hays, who has served 37 years in the position; and County Chairman Marcello Banes and Probate Court Judge Melanie Bell, who are each seeking second terms.

Others include District 2 county school board member Eddie Johnson, who is unopposed for a fourth term; District 4 school board member Anderson Bailey, who recently was appointed to the board and is unopposed for his first full term; and Alana Sanders, who is unopposed for her first term in the county commission District 3 seat.

T-SPLOST Special Election

Voters countywide will be asked if they want to approve a 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for transportation, and a bond issue of $18.9 million, all for transportation projects.

The sales tax can only be imposed for five years and produce a maximum of $56.1 million for transportation projects in the cities and unincorporated area. The bond issue will be used to more quickly begin work on projects in the county and Covington as they await the collection of tax revenues, officials have said.

The Newton County ballot will have a “yes” or “no” choice for the following question:

“Shall a special 1% sales and use tax be imposed in the special district consisting of Newton County for a period of time not to exceed five years and for the raising of not more than an estimated amount of $56,100,000 for transportation purposes? If imposition of the tax is approved by the voters, such vote shall also constitute approval of the issuance of general obligation debt of Newton County in the principal amount of $18,900,000 for the above purpose.”