COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton voters chose to keep the county's 1% SPLOST in place for another six years in Tuesday's election.
A majority of Newton County voters also chose Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in statewide races in the General Election, despite Democrats losing almost every race when all counties' votes were tallied.
More than 56% (43,000) of Newton's 76,671 active voters cast ballots in the election.
SPLOST
With all 22 precincts counted, 55% voted "yes" and 45% voted "no" votes out of more than 41,000 cast in the special election.
With the vote, Newton Countians kept the 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax in place for another six years through 2029.
The 2023 SPLOST is expected to generate an estimated $108 million over six years for a variety of public needs — from recreation centers to road paving. It will begin to be collected July 1, 2023, after the current SPLOST expires on June 30, 2023.
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
Covington voters overwhelmingly approved a $10,000 homestead exemption on the assessed value of their homes when paying city property taxes. It will take effect Jan. 1, 2023.
COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 2
Incumbent Commissioner Demond Mason turned back a challenge from Republican Donald Bryant Jr. for a second term on the Newton County Board of Commissioners.
Mason defeated three challengers for the Democratic nomination May 24. Bryant was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
The district includes parts of west and southwest Newton County.
COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4
Incumbent J.C. Henderson won a seventh four-year term on the Board of Commissioners after defeating Republican Scotty Scoggins.
The district includes all of the city of Porterdale and the Springhill area along Lower River Road near the county landfill.
COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1
Incumbent Trey Bailey, a Republican, easily defeated Democrat Catalata Hardeman for a second full term.
Bailey, who is executive pastor at Eastridge Church, was appointed by the school board in March 2016 to serve the remainder of Stan Edwards’ term after Edwards resigned to run for the Board of Commissioners District 1 seat. Bailey was elected to his first full term in November 2018.
COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICTS 3, 5
Incumbents Shakila Henderson-Baker, a Democrat, of District 3 and Abigail Coggin, a Republican, of District 5, were each unopposed for fourth terms on the school board.
STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 93
State Rep. Doreen Carter, D-Lithonia, was unopposed for a fourth term in the House in the new District 93 seat that represents northwestern Newton County.
Carter, an accountant, owns a financial education company. She is a former Lithonia City Council member and was the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State in 2014. She was elected in 2015 to the District 92 House seat.
STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 113
Incumbent State Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, was unopposed for reelection to a second term to her district that includes part of western Newton.
STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 114
Republican Tim Fleming of Covington defeated Democrat Malcolm Adams of Oxford for the new House District 114 seat.
Fleming is former chief of staff for Gov. Brian Kemp but left the Kemp Administration in September 2020 to enter the private sector. He previously served on the Newton County Board of Commissioners as the District 5 member from 2009-2013.
District 114 is comprised of parts of Newton and Jasper Counties and all of Morgan County.
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 17
Incumbent State Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, defeated Democratic challenger Kacy Morgan of Madison.
The district include much of Newton County and parts of Morgan, Henry and Walton counties.
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 43
Incumbent State Sen. Tonya Anderson, D-Lithonia, won a fourth term in the state Senate by defeating Republican Melanie Williams of Stonecrest.
The district includes parts of Newton and DeKalb counties and all of Rockdale County.
U.S. HOUSE
4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Incumbent Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Stonecrest, easily defeated Republican Jonathan Chavez of Conyers to win a ninth two-year term in the 4th Congressional District seat.
The district includes parts of Newton, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties and all of Rockdale County.
10TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Republican Mike Collins of Jackson defeated Democrat Tabitha Johnson-Green of Sandersville for Georgia's 10th Congressional District seat
Collins is a trucking company owner and son of former congressman Mac Collins. The district includes part of Newton County and all or part of 17 other eastern Georgia counties.
ADVANCE VOTING
Almost 60% of those voting in the Newton County election voted early, according to statistics from the Secretary of State's office.
A total of 22,132 voted in-person at the county's two early voting locations during the 18-day period — a 15% increase from 19,259 during the last mid-term election in 2018 in Newton County.
An additional 3,020 absentee ballots had been accepted by mail or electronically before Tuesday out of 3,562 requested.
Turnout numbers showed the majority of those taking advantage of the chance to cast ballots before Election Day Tuesday were older adults.
The majority of those going to the polls early (57%) for this year's election in Newton County were between the ages of 55 and 75 — despite the largest group of the county's active voters coming from the 18-24 age group, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's office.
The Secretary of State's office also broke down advance voting in Newton County by race and gender:
• 53% were Black, 38% white, and the remaining 9% Hispanic, Asian, Native American or "unknown."
• 55% of early voters were female.
The largest turnout of Newton County's early voters came from the 55-60 age group, followed by the 60-65, 50-55 and 65-70 groups.
However, the largest age group of active voters in Newton County is the 18-24 group (9,100), followed by the 50-55 group (7,500) and 55-60 group (7,000), the Secretary of State's office reported.
Newton County also matched the statewide rate of one in three of its active voters casting their ballots either by mail or in-person before Election Day.
