Mayor's race will be unopposed; City Council challengers emerge

Talk about two different paths to victory.

In November 2017, Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan had to sweat it out for a few days before officially being declared the winner.

The election night tally gave her a total of 833 votes, compared to then-incumbent Gary Thrower's 827 votes. The percentage total – Parham-Copelan 50.18 percent, Thrower 49.82 percent.

Then came the automatic recount two days later, which actually added another provisional vote for Thrower. Days later, however, Thrower opted not to challenge the final vote tally, and Parham-Copelan officially became mayor elect.

That was then, however, and this is now. This time around, Parham-Copelan will run unopposed this November, as no challengers emerged during municipal election qualifying at Milledgeville City Hall, which ended at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Parham-Copelan, Milledgeville's first female mayor, has been a steady hand around City Hall during the last three-plus years, leading the city through the pandemic, as well as leading  the transition from previous City Manager Barry Jarrett to current City Manager Hank Griffeth. 

On the City Council side, meanwhile, all six incumbents qualified, while three challengers emerged, one from District 1, one from District 5 and one from District 6. Torie Stewart, who was front-and-center during last summer's social justice protests in front of the Courthouse, will challenge two-term incumbent Collinda Lee.

In District 5, meanwhile, Boo Mullins will be looking to secure his fifth full term and will be challenged by Jessica McQuain, who was front-and-center during last summer's protests on Georgia College's front lawn, the ones that questioned the need to resume in-person classes. McQuain, according to her Facebook page, is a Heard County native and GC graduate. She lists her profession as "Field Organizers at United Campus Workers of Georgia.

Then there's District 6, where incumbent Steve Chambers will be faced by political newcomer Daisy Childs. Childs lives in Carrington Woods, according to her candidate filing.

Meanwhile, District 2's Jeanette Walden, District 3's Denese Shinholster and District 4's Walter Reynolds each will run unopposed.