A New Sheriff Coming To Richmond County

There will be a new sheriff in Richmond County. Incumbent Richard Roundtree was defeated by challenger Eugene "Gino Rock" Brantley in the Democratic runoff race for sheriff. Now Brantley could face Independent Richard Dixon in November, if he gets enough signatures to qualify to be on the ballot for the General Election in November.

Brantley won today's runoff with 57.7% of the vote, while Roundtree had 47.23%.

Roundtree was first elected to office in 2012 and was re-elected to his second four-year term in 2016.

Brantley held a news conference yesterday to unveil his plans to make the downtown area safer, in the wake of the most recent shooting at 10th and Broad Streets, leaving 3 injured.

There were 2 runoff races on today's Richmond County ballot, and just 1 in Columbia County, and only for voters in House District 131.

Today's runoff election was needed to settle the three local races where no one had candidate had received 50% of the vote, plus one, during the primary last month.

About 6% of Richmond County's 127,900 registered voters cast a ballot for today's runoff races, according to the Richmond County Board of Elections.

In the runoff race for House District 131, Republicans Paul Abbott and Rob Clifton were vying for the seat to replace Jodi Lott, who decided not to seek re-election. Only residents living in District 131 were eligible to vote in the runoff.

In the nonpartisan race for Superior Court Judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit, Matt Matson and Charles Lyons were vying to replace the retiring Judge Danny Craig.