SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — While most local elections were decided on Election Day earlier this month, the three-way race to serve as Chair of the Social Circle City Schools Board of Education filtered into a runoff when no one candidate emerged firmly on top.
Incumbent Taylor Morris was initially challenged by both Chadwick McGuire and Seneca Ellison. On Election Day, Morris secured 439 votes to McGuire’s 434, with Ellison trailing at 69.
To claim the victory, a candidate must secure over 50% of the votes. With Ellison receiving some support, neither Morris nor McGuire secured at least half of the votes, and a two-way runoff was scheduled for Dec. 2.
The candidates
As Morris and McGuire face off, neither has an obvious advantage. Despite Morris’s distinction as the incumbent, she secured only five more votes than McGuire on Election Day.
A local real estate agent and mother of children in the school system, Morris has held the chair seat since August 2023. She was appointed to chair in a unanimous board vote after her predecessor, John Callahan, resigned from the seat.
“Win or lose, I am thankful to have been able to serve SCCS,” Morris said in a statement to The Covington News on Nov. 25, in part. “We have done a lot of good work but there is still more to do. While I have made votes as a board member that were not always popular, I will stand behind them as I feel they are what was best for the system. Kids are the future and the staff are incredible! I love serving them. I would love to earn your vote and continue to serve. My heart is with the kids, staff and community in Social Circle.”
McGuire has a career in military service. He served as a staff sergeant and captain in the U.S. Air Force and presently serves as squadron deputy commander in the Civil Air Patrol. His five children are also in the Social Circle School System.
“I’m running for school board chair to honor the community that raised me and to help build a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive,” McGuire wrote in a statement to The News on Nov. 25. “Born and raised in Social Circle, I understand our values and our challenges. Voters should support me if they believe in meaningful change and want a leader who will listen, serve, and act with those values at heart.”
The runoff
The Walton County Board of Elections will be presiding over the ballots. According to their webpage, advance voting began on Nov. 21 and ended on Nov. 26. Absentee ballots were due Nov. 21.
On Dec. 2, Social Circle residents can cast their vote at the South Walton Community Center, located at 573 Fairplay Drive. Voting opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m., with the results expected to be available soon after.