4-H first at state Cotton Boll for first time in 20 years

By Beau Evans
Staff Writer
Capitol Beat News Service

   U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, both Republicans in tight runoff races to hold their seats, called on Georgia’s Republican secretary of state Monday to resign as state election officials continued brushing aside unproven claims of ballot fraud.
 

           The Pickens Election Board working election night counting ballots at the Pioneer Road office. They were not dismissed until nearly 2 a.m. 

           Republican candidates have been declared winners by wide margins in local, state and national elections in Pickens County, despite some absentee ballots remaining to be counted Wednesday morning, November 4. 

            The Pickens Board of Elections worked until nearly 2 a.m. election night counting ballots, including opening remaining absentee ballots not opened the week before, scanning those into the system, and uploading votes when the county’s 12 precincts reported. The Secretary of State dismissed the board at 1:45 a.m.

            Pickens Elections Supervisor Julianne Roberts said the remaining absentee ballots to be counted were one bin from the Yellow Creek district, absentee ballots turned in later last week up through Election Day, military, overseas, and provisional ballots.

            “But I don’t think there are enough to change the status of any election,” Roberts said. 

            The board would begin counting the remaining ballots at 10 a.m. Wednesday and hoped to finished the same day.  

            Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, Pickens Commission Chair candidate Kris Stancil (R) has gained significantly more votes than David Shouse (I), with 10,919, or 73.2 percent of votes cast. Shouse has secured 3,997, or 26.8 percent.

By Beau Evans

Staff Writer

Capitol Beat News Service

A handful of Republican statewide officeholders rushed to President Donald Trump’s defense Thursday night as he lashed out against Georgia’s election system just before his lead over Democratic challenger Joe Biden evaporated overnight in the Peach State.

  In a prime-time televised speech Thursday, Trump accused Georgia election officials of improperly counting mail-in votes and of having “an election apparatus run by Democrats,” even though both the governor and the state’s election chief are Republicans.

  The Republican president, who has called for halting ballot counts in some tight-race states, also made unfounded claims Georgia election officials were accepting ballots after the 7 p.m. Election Day deadline. Similar allegations were made in a Trump campaign lawsuit that a Chatham County judge tossed Thursday.

By Suellen Reitz

American Legion Writer

This year has been fraught with lengthy postponements and cancellations due to the pandemic across our nation and in our own community.  Its presence has affected us all. However, there are some things that should not be dismissed or forgotten…and that includes honoring our veterans.

With over 3,000 veterans living in Pickens County, Veterans Day has always been a special day of recognition for all who have served or are currently serving in the United States of America military. This tradition of honoring our men and women in uniform continues with modifications to ensure the safety of our veterans and supporting citizens who wish to attend this year’s celebration.

American Legion Post 149 along with the Marine Corps League, Disabled American Veterans, Daughters of the American Revolution, American Legion Riders, Sons of American Legion, and Pickens County Veterans Memorial members will