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Beal-Shephard to face Holly, Rainey to face Deriso in Nov. 5 election

Two seats on the Cordele Board of Commissioners are up for grabs in the Nov. 5 city election.

Incumbent commissioners Vesta Beal-Shephard, who represents Cordele’s First Ward, and Wesley Rainey, who represents Cordele’s Fourth Ward, will face challengers in the contest.

Beal-Shephard will face political newcomer Milton Holly, Jr. Rainey faces Joshua Deriso, who was unsuccessful in his campaign last November for the Georgia House of Representatives seat now occupied by Noel Williams.

Beal-Shephard and Rainey were elected to the city commission in 2015. Rainey won his seat against Billy White by a tally of 155 to 99. Beal-Shephard bested Sammie Hill, Sr. 115-43.

In Deriso’s race for the State House 148 seat, he was bested district-wide by Williams by a vote of 12,657 to 5,567, but in Crisp County, the tally was slightly more narrow with Williams’ 4,451 votes to his 2,493.

The deadline to register to vote in the November election is October 7th. Visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, www.sos.ga.gov/elections, to register to vote online or register in person at the Crisp County Elections Office in Room 103 of the county government building located at 210 S. 7th St. You must be reside at an address in either Ward One or Ward Four to cast a ballot in these contests.

Early voting begins on Oct. 15 and will continue to Nov. 1 at the county elections office between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The last day to issue an absentee ballot by mail is Nov. 1.

Municipal elections are also slated for the City of Arabi. Arabi City Council Post 3 incumbent Curtis Lee Clark faces Wayne Harris and Post 4 incumbent Robert Southwell faces William H. Schargenberg, IV.