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Photo by Arnaud Jaegers
Hartwell voters took to the polls Dec. 5 for a runoff election to decide the results of two city council seats vacated by Stephen Ayers and Tony Haynie.
It was another woefully low turnout with a total of 568 total votes casts within the city through early voting, same day voting and absentee ballots. That number represents less than three percent of the total number of registered voters.
In a landslide victory, Social worker Zach Adams defeated University of Georgia professor Dr. Jermaine Durham with 64 percent of the vote.
Adams will replace Haynie and said he’s excited for the election process is now over.
“I’m looking forward to be seated on the council by the first of the year,” Adams said. “I’m ready to serve with my fellow council members and represent as many people as I can.”
In the race to replace councilman Stephen Ayers, Reverend Richard Sheller defeated realtor Debbie Henry with 63 percent of the vote.
Sheller said regarding his victory, all praise goes to God.
“I am very humble to be given the opportunity to serve and work with the rest of the councilmen to move the city forward and to make sure the voices of the citizens are heard at city hall,” Sheller said.
Sheller said his opponent Henry ran a great campaign, and Henry was gracious in defeat.
“I want to thank all who supported me during the city council race,” Henry said. “We may not have won in number; however, I feel like we have now begun to pave the road for anyone who wants to serve our wonderful community.”
Henry said moving forward she will look to serve Hartwell in other ways moving forward.
In the waning days prior to the election, the campaigns were marred by several negative ads in the form of mailers and text message ads spreading misinformation.
The authors of the mailer showed support for Sheller and Adams and asserted that a vote for Durham and Henry would be a vote to increase property taxes.
Sheller and Adams both condemned the ads through their social media accounts, and both stated they were proud they ran a clean campaign.
During the city council meeting Dec. 4, many members of the current council called the ads out.
“If you’ve never run for anything and put yourself out there…it’s tough to know exactly what that feels like,” Councilman Patrick Guarnella said. “And to do that, and then be undermined by players that remain in the shadows and put out things negatively against you–it’s just a shame…There’s really no place in this community for this.”
Councilman Dan Leard called the ads an act of cowardice.
“For those who are victims of this–all four of you–I’m sorry that you have to go through this,” Leard said. “But that individual or individuals that said and approved this…I feel this: yes, you have freedom of speech; you have the right to say what you want. But next time, put your name on it.”
Adams had woken up Saturday morning hearing about the negative ads and said it hit him like a brick wall.
“I called Jermaine Durham and apologized for the ads,” Adams said. “I didn’t do it, but it was something someone did. I commend Jermaine for his race and working with him.”
Adams said he hopes an investigation can be conducted to find out who created them. He said these kind of ads are the kinds of things you see in big cities.
“We didn’t need those big city political tactics,” Adams said. “That’s not what we need in Hartwell, and I commend the councilmen who spoke out against it.”
The Hartwell Sun reached out to Dr. Durham for comment on the matter, but our calls and texts were not returned by deadline.
The first meeting for the newly elected city councilmen is slated for Jan. 1.