Featured image: DeKalb Probate Judge Ronnie Osborn (center) and DeKalb County Republican Chairman Mark Ford (right) congratulate Robert Elliott (left), for his victory in the GOP Runoff for DeKalb County BOE, Place No. 5.
By Joseph M. Morgan
joseph@southerntorch.com
FORT PAYNE, Ala.— Robert Elliott defeated fellow Republican Don Brock in the GOP Runoff election for the DeKalb County Board of Education, Place No. 5, this week. Elliott received 461 of the 684 votes that were cast in the runoff earning 67 percent of the total vote to Brock’s 33 percent made up of 223 votes.
With only two candidates on the ballot in a runoff election, voter turnout was expected to be low. Election officials said, however, that turnout was even lower than they expected—less than 5 percent turnout from more than 3,000 registered voters who could have cast their votes in this race. Elliott's victory in the runoff guarantees him a seat on the DeKalb County Board of Education because he has no Democratic opponent in November.
DeKalb County Republican Party Chairman Mark Ford said the addition of Robert Elliott to the DeKalb County Board of Education is a victory not only for Republicans, but for all DeKalb County students, educators and their families’.
“I want to congratulate Robert Elliott on running a solid, successful race,” Ford said. “He will be a strong representative for the Republican Party in DeKalb County government and will be an asset to the DeKalb County Board of Education, school administrators and teachers, students and parents. Both of these men, his opponent Don Brock included, are good men and good Republicans. Either would have done a great job, and both men ran clean, strong races in the primary and the runoff. To be completely honest, the DeKalb GOP was in a win-win situation today. We would have supported either man who won, and as it turned out that man happened to be Robert Elliott today. We commend him for that and look forward to seeing his leadership and the impact he will certainly have on the board and in our county schools."
