By Joseph M. Morgan

joseph@southerntorch.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ala.— In perhaps the most highly anticipated race on the ballot for DeKalb County residents on Super Tuesday, Dr. Jason Barnett defeated incumbent and current DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Hugh Taylor in the Republican Primary race for superintendent.

Barnett took 70 percent of the vote and swept the county, winning convincingly at each of the 42 polling locations where voters chose their candidate for DeKalb Superintendent. Voter turnout was high in DeKalb, even for a presidential primary. Election officials said that they believed that the superintendent race played a large factor in the increased voter turnout. With 11,171 total votes cast in the race, Barnett received 7,118 votes to Taylor’s 3,157 votes.

“We could not be more excited,” Barnett said. “We ran a race based on issues that I think were very important to DeKalb County voters. And I will remember those voters and keep the promises I made to them.”

With Barnett’s securing of the GOP nomination for superintendent, he will face Democrat DeKalb County educator Bill Monroe in the general election on Nov. 4, 2016. Monroe has served as an educator in the county for more than 30 years and ran against Hugh Taylor in 2012, so his name is recognizable among DeKalb County voters.

In the weeks leading up to the November election, Southern Torch will provide comprehensive profiles of Monroe and Barnett.