Polls at Liberty County precincts will open Tuesday at 7 a.m. for the general and nonpartisan primaries.
Voters must choose which partisan primary they want to cast a ballot. On the Democrat side, there are several races, including three which will decide who holds that seat — county commission District 6, tax commissioner and chief magistrate. There also are races for sheriff and county commission chairman were a nominee will be chosen for the November general election.
In the November general election, voters can cast a ballot for any candidate in any party, but in the primary, they must declare which party primary they choose to vote. For example, during the May primary, a voter wanting to cast a ballot in the Republican primary for District 4 county commission cannot also vote in the Democrat primary races, such as those for sheriff, tax commissioner or chief magistrate.
On the Democrat ticket, incumbent Donald Lovette is being challenged by Chassidy Oliveira for the county commission chairman’s post. Incumbent Eddie Walden is being challenged by McKesson Stafford for the county commission District 6 seat and incumbent Sheriff Will Bowman faces challenges from Kevin Hofkin, Keith Jenkins and Gary Richardson.
Kim McGlothlin and Jamie Sharp are running for the open tax commissioner post, and incumbent Chief Magistrate Michael McGirt Jr. faces a challenge from Malcolm Williams. State Rep. Al Williams, who represents District 168, covering all of Liberty County, faces a challenge from Henry Covington. Those three races do not have anyone running in the Republican primary and essentially will be decided in the primary.
Republicans Timmy Blount and Kevin Remillard are running for the nomination for county commission District 4, where the winner will face off against incumbent Maxie Jones in the fall.
Two other Republicans — Michael Navarro and Gary Eason — do not face opposition in their respective primaries. Navarro is running for county commission chairman and will oppose the winner of the Lovette-Oliveira race in the November general election. Eason is running for sheriff and will face the winner of the Democrat primary.
More than 2,700 voters have cast ballots in early voting through Wednesday. Early voting is being conducted at the Historic Courthouse, 100 Main St. in Hinesville, and at the Liberty County Community Complex in Midway, 9397 E. Oglethorpe Highway.
Early voting concludes Friday at 5 p.m.