Two candidates qualify for Locust Grove special election

Photo of Locust Grove city hall (Clayton Carte photo)
(Clayton Carte photo)

Early voting is going on now for the Locust Grove special election to fill an unexpired term on the city council. Two candidates qualified for the election earlier this month.

The special election is for the remainder of 2021 because Councilman Gardner moved out of city limits. The regular election for three council seats, including the seat on the ballot now, will take place in November.

Early voting continues for three weeks through Friday, March 12. Election Day is Tuesday, March 16.

Locust Grove Candidates

The two candidates seeking office are Mr. Vernon Ashe and Mr. James Vincent Williams.

Vernon Ashe

Vernon Ashe previously served two terms on the city council from 2012 to 2019. He chose not to seek re-election two years ago to help care for his wife. She passed away in 2020 after 68 years of marriage.

Mr. Ashe retired from the postal service and has resided in the city for over twenty-five years. In a Facebook post, the former councilman shared:

“I am honest, dependable and always try to make Locust Grove a better place for families to live. In addition to other challenges for the city, the traffic situation would be of foremost importance to me. I love the city and the people of Locust Grove. I can promise that I will do my best to represent the citizens of our city.”

James Vincent Williams

The second candidate, James Vincent Williams, goes by his middle name but appears on the ballot as James V. Williams. He served twenty-seven years in the US Navy retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. Williams is presently the NJROTC instructor at Jackson High School.

Vincent and his wife, Mary, have been married for 31 years. Together, they own Hunter’s Cafe in Jackson. On the candidate’s Facebook page, he shared:

“I am running for Locust Grove City Council. I am not a politician but I am a husband, father, grand father, US Navy Veteran, business owner, Naval Science Instructor at Jackson High School, a volunteer and proud Locust Grove citizen. Most importantly, I am a neighbor that would love the opportunity to serve the Locust Grove community.”

Early Voting & Election Day

In addition to the Locust Grove special election, voting is also happening for the countywide education SPLOST referendum. Because of the difference between county and city elections, voters that wait until Election Day may have to visit two polling places to participate in both.

Moving Henry Forward encourages city residents to vote through early voting. Voters can participate in both ballots at one location by visiting either the elections office in McDonough or Locust Grove Library. Early voting hours include the following:

  • February 22 – 26 / 8 am – 5 pm
  • McDonough Only: February 27 (Saturday) / 9 am – 5 pm
  • March 1 – 5 / 8 am – 5 pm
  • March 8 – 12 / 8 am – 5 pm

On Election Day, the city’s polling place is the Locust Grove Library. County polling places can differ, such as Locust Grove UMC or Harvest Point UMC. Polls will be open 7 am to 7 pm.

About Clayton 1739 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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