Political newcomer Scott E. Cantrell has unseated incumbent DeKalb County Property Assessor Timothy “Fud” Banks, and claimed the Democratic nomination for the office during Tuesday’s county Democratic Primary.
Cantrell earned 763 votes to win the nomination over Banks, the four-term incumbent, who totaled 392 votes. Challenger Jonathan Bryan Keith came in a distant third in the Property Assessor race, with a total of 90 votes.
Cantrell won 12 of DeKalb County’s 16 precincts and also held the edge in Early and Absentee votes, Banks carried two precincts, while Banks and Keith tied in one precinct. No votes were cast for either candidate for assessor at Edgar Evins State Park. By earning the Democratic nomination for Property Assessor, Cantrell will meet Republican nominee Mason Carter in the August General Election.
Banks will remain in office through August 31.
Cantrell carried the following precincts: Alexandria, Temperance Hall, Liberty, Dowelltown, Snow Hill, Middle School, Courthouse, County Complex, Belk, Keltonburg, Blue Springs, and Church of Christ Annex. Cantrell also had a majority of the absentee/early voting.
Banks carried Cherry Hill and Johnson’s Chapel. Banks and Keith tied with one vote each at Rock Castle.
“I’d like to thank God for life itself and for my family and friends who have helped me so much during this campaign,” said Cantrell. “I’d like to thank the people that I don’t even know about that has been a voice for me. Helping me out during this time. I’d like to thank you who voted for me to be your democratic candidate for property assessor in the upcoming general election on August 2. I thank you DeKalb County very much for this opportunity in my life,” said Cantrell.
Banks thanked the people of DeKalb County for the privilege of serving them for sixteen years. “I want to thank the people who came out and voted for me,” said Banks. “I want to thank my family that’s had faith in me and worked with me. I want to thank the voters for coming out and voting for me. I want to thank them for letting me be their property assessor for four terms. I have worked hard and tried to do a good job. I appreciate your vote,” said Banks.
Keith also thanked his supporters. “I’d like to thank everybody for going out and supporting me in this. I appreciate everything that everybody did. Thank you,” said Keith.
Meanwhile, Carl Lee Webb defeated Richard Bullard in the only contested Constable race in the county, which was held in the Sixth District. Webb tallied 128 total votes in the three precincts as well as Early Voting and Absentee ballots, while Bullard had 45 total votes. Webb carried all three precincts – Belk, Blue Springs and Keltonburg – as well as Early Voting and the Absentee ballots.
In the Republican Presidential Primary, Rick Santorum carried seven DeKalb County precincts along with Early Voting and Absentees and led the GOP ticket with 487 votes, followed closely by Newt Gingrich with 407 votes. Gingrich carried five precincts, while he and Santorum tied for the most votes in one county precinct. Mitt Romney carried the remaining three precincts and placed third in the Republican Primary with 316 votes, while Ron Paul was a distant fourth with 107 votes.
Incumbent Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama earned 579 complimentary votes in DeKalb County.
In the remaining uncontested County Constable races, Wayne Vanderpool received 149 complimentary votes in the Third District, Paul Cantrell received 133 complimentary votes in the Fourth District, Mark Milam received 127 complimentary votes in the Fifth District, while Johnny King received 112 complimentary votes in the Seventh District. All four candidates – along with Carl Lee Webb in the Sixth District – will be unopposed in the August General Election.
According to figures released by the DeKalb County Election Commission Office, a total of 2,598 voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s election. A total of 1,879 voters turned out on Election Day, while 719 DeKalb County voters cast ballots during Early Voting or by absentee ballot.
(Pictured below: Constable nominees Carl Lee Webb, Mark Milam, Wayne Vanderpool, and Johnny King. Not pictured- Paul Cantrell)
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