Douglasville 2016 Election Results: Democrats Win Races For Sheriff, Commission Chair

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — Democrats in Douglas County won two big races Tuesday night, taking the sheriff's office and defeating the incumbent county commission chairman.

With 25 of 25 precincts fully reported, Democratic challenger Romona Jackson Jones defeated county commission Chairman Tom Worthan, 31,473 to 25,003.

And in the race for sheriff, Democrat Tim Pounds won 32,058 votes, compared to 25,202 for Michael J. Barnhill, the Republican.

Those returns were technically still unofficial Tuesday night.

Worthan had come under fire for recordings of racially charged comments he made during the campaign.

Asked about whether Pounds should be elected sheriff, Worthan was recorded saying black politicians "bankrupt you" when they hold office and suggested Pounds would "put his black brothers in positions that maybe they’re not qualified to be in."

Douglas County is roughly 45 percent black.

Election Day polls in Douglas County closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with Georgia's 16 electoral votes hanging in the balance of a closer-than-usual presidential tilt in the state.

The most high-profile vote on the ballot, of course, was the presidential election featuring the matchup between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

A special-purpose, local option sales tax also on the ballot in Douglas County appeared to have squeaked out a victory, 28,736 to 27,156.

The money would be split between the county government and municipalities and go toward transportation, public safety and parks and recreation.

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