Category Archives: Elections

How Presidents Are Elected – Really

By: J. Randolph Evans

Most voters think they elect the President and Vice President on General Election Day. This year, General Election Day is November 6, 2012. But, the truth be told, voters actually only elect Presidential Electors on General Election Day. Each state (and the District of Columbia) gets the total number of their Congressional delegation (both U.S. House and Senate) as Electors. For Georgia, this means 16 Electors … Read more...

Photo ID – Now More Than Ever

By: J. Randolph Evans

In November 2008, two separate elections in Franklin County, Georgia for mayor in Royston and Franklin Springs ended in a tie. After a recount with an additional provisional ballot counted, just one vote decided both elections.

The impact of a few votes extends well beyond local races. While everyone remembers Florida’s votes in the 2000 Presidential Election, it was actually New Mexico that was closer. Only … Read more...

2012 – Everything’s On the Table

By: J. Randolph Evans

2012 will be an historic election – no matter what happens. Right now, all eyes remain fixed on the GOP nomination. In November, the world will focus on the Presidential election to see whether President Barack Obama can get reelected. But, on November 6, 2012, control of another branch of government – the Congress – will also be at play.

Currently, Republicans control the United States Read more...

My reflections on 2011

Observations©

by Donald S. Conkey

During most of 2011, as the 2012 presidential primary race gathered steam by both the republicans and President Obama, the American public, those who didn’t tune out, heard an ever growing divisive political rhetoric from the several candidates who would like to become America’s next president. This presidential vetting process is a useful process that is designed to bring out both the positive and Read more...

Judicial Elections Make A Difference

By: J. Randolph Evans

Last year, Georgians elected justices on the Georgia Supreme Court andjudges on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Next year, Georgians willlikely elect three justices on the Georgia Supreme Court and more on theGeorgia Court of Appeals.

During the last two weeks, one of those courts gave Georgians a freshand important reminder of just how much Georgia courts can affect thelives of Georgians – especially some of … Read more...

Carley Changes Political Landscape

By J. Randolph Evans

Justice George Carley turned Georgia judicial elections upside down with a single decision this week. Here is what happened.

2012 was shaping up as a pivotal election for Georgia’s judiciary. On July 31, 2012 (Georgia’s Primary Election), Georgia voters would elect a majority of Georgia’s seven Supreme Court justices.

Placing four justices on the same ballot at the same time carried significant implications. It meant that Read more...

Judicial Elections and Reapportionment

By J. Randolph Evans

What do Georgia judicial elections and reapportionment have in common?
Nothing, but maybe everything – especially in 2012.

In 2012, many statewide judges around Georgia, including a majority of
Justices on the Georgia Supreme Court, will be on the Primary Election
Ballot.  Georgia judicial elections are supposed to be nonpartisan
affairs (although political parties and governors have been known to get
into a judicial race here … Read more...

Know your Politician – Just The Numbers, Mam

By Les Dunaway

Four stories were in the news this week. At first glance, three were financial, our normal subject area, and the other was about character and morality. However, upon reflection – which I had plenty of time for as I had a badly scattered series of appointments – all four are about what happens when voters fail to heed the the admonition which titles this article “Know your … Read more...

2012 Georgia Judicial Elections Big

By J. Randolph Evans

2010 was a watershed election in Georgia politics. Republicans swept
every state constitutional office and took firm control of the Georgia
Senate and House.

2012 will be a watershed election in Georgia for a completely different
reason. While the Presidential election will certainly impose a healthy
level of partisanship in the November General Election, the 2012
nonpartisan judicial elections will also be big.

Read more...

Judicial Elections Can Be Scary

By J. Randolph Evans

Just 176,627 Georgians elected Justice David Nahmias to the Georgia Supreme Court for a full six-year term.  The end result is not so surprising given that he was one of the most qualified candidates for the court in the history of Georgia.  Indeed, most lawyers would agree that he is qualified for the United States Supreme Court.  His credentials were so impressive that he appeared to … Read more...

2012 Presidential Election – Column No. 1050

By J. Randolph Evans – On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, Americans will decide who will serve as the President of the United States of America.  As the last three elections in 2006, 2008, and 2010 prove, voters are not exactly shy about exercising the rights of “We The People” to decide who governs this country.  2012 will be no different.

The political landscape will be a little different than the … Read more...

Georgia Women Leading Political Parties – Column No. 1044

By J. Randolph Evans – Two women led their respective political parties in Georgia into the 2010 election cycle. They were the chairs of the Georgia Republican Party and the Democratic Party of Georgia. It was the first time this has happened in Georgia history. Next year, both political parties will hold conventions and elect party officials heading into the Presidential elections in 2012. Here is what convention delegates will … Read more...