Politics
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College Town Surge of Young Georgia Voters: Athens-Clarke County
Youth voter turnout across the state of Georgia has been on a steady climb in recent years, but the 2020 election brought one of the highest nationwide surges in recent history of college-age individuals turning out to participate at their local polls The Center for Information and Research on Civic…
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What the Firearm Debate Means Ahead Of Midterms For Athens-Area Locals
In the state of Georgia, the number of weapons carry permits has increased each year from 2018-2020, and the statistics are similar in Barrow, Oconee, Clarke, Madison and Jackson counties. According to the 2018-2020 probate court caseload reports compiled by the Office of Research and Data Analysis of the Judicial…
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New Districts, New Elections: Candidates Look to Primary Election Following Redistricting
Georgia is officially back in election season. The advertisements are just beginning to ramp up as Georgia embraces federal, state, and local elections. To make this election year even more interesting, Georgia’s congressional districts have been redrawn. This will be the first election voting in these new boundaries. The thing…
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Athens-Clarke County Commission Districts Face Change in 2023
Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 890 which changes the commission districts in Athens-Clarke County, effectively reapportioning voter precincts for the upcoming year. The new district map is a drastic change compared to what currently stands. Districts 3, 5 and 7 are the districts experiencing the biggest changes. Commissioners Melissa…
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A New Era: Number of Female Politicians Grows in Athens
In 2021, women across the country have changed history by winning seats in elected office on various levels for the first time in history. A progressive pocket in Northeast Georgia, Clarke County, has been leading this charge for the last several years and continues to do so. Currently, the county…
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‘Queer People Shake $#*! Up’: LGBTQ Representation in Government and the Driving Force Behind It
The LGBTQ Victory Fund, founded in 1991, is the only national organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ people to all levels of government in an effort to “achieve and sustain equality.” The Victory Fund provides campaign, communications and fundraising support to LGBTQ candidates nationwide, while its sister organization, the LGBTQ…
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War Was Hell, So Was the Withdrawal: Local Vietnam, Afghanistan Veterans Reflect on Their Experiences
Car bombs. Air strikes. Burning flesh. Mangled bodies. The pop of an enemy’s weapon. Rubble clinging to the streets. The city wearing the smell of death like musty perfume. “I really don’t know how to describe it,” Shane Kozusko, an Afghanistan War veteran in Athens, said. “I mean, it’s just…
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2021 Northeast Georgia Election Results
The results from the 2021 Special Elections are in. Here is a breakdown of the SPLOST votes from each county and the mayoral races in the counties that held them. For full election results from each county, click on the links below. Athens-Clarke County Results Barrow County Results…
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Closer Than We Think: Political Extremism Reinforces Partisan Divisions
Extremism in our partisan groups is continually dividing America’s public. Differences in political affiliations and general ideologies are driving a wedge between voters and leaving out the middle-of-the-road voter, but we may not be as divided as we think. What About Middle Voters? Recent elections and extreme differences…
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Georgia Renewable Power’s Permit Challenged in Madison County
Gina Ward is a mother, an elementary school special education paraprofessional and a Madison County resident. She’s also the co-chair of the Madison County Clean Power Coalition. Ward is one member working to deter Georgia Renewable Power plant’s permit request. GRP has applied for a permit that would allow the…