Georgia Voter Guide: Get to know the Chatham County candidates

Chatham County voters will soon have a chance to completely revamp their local government, with races for DA, sheriff, coroner and more on the ballot this year.

There are six contested Chatham County races in the upcoming general election, scheduled for Nov. 5.

Here is a look at the candidates in those races.

District Attorney, Eastern Judicial Circuit

André Pretorius (R ) — Andre Pretorius is running for Chatham County District Attorney. The Republican and South African immigrant works part-time as an assistant Chatham County attorney, moving to part-time employment with the county after announcing his candidacy. He is currently the solicitor for the City of Tybee and an assistant solicitor in Effingham County State Court. Pretorius will face the current DA, Democrat Shalena Cook Jones, in the general election.

Shalena Cook Jones (D) — Incumbent Democrat Shalena Cook Jones, a first-term district attorney for Chatham County, is seeking re-election against Republican opponent Andre Pretorius. Elected in 2020 as a "progressive" district attorney, Cook Jones' initial term in office came with some challenges. In an interview with the Savannah Morning News, Cook Jones discussed how she needed to “re-engineer a new system” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the backlog of cases in the county grew. If re-elected, she hopes to continue to bring down the backlog and increase staffing in the district attorney’s office.

Sheriff

John T. Wilcher (R) — John T. Wilcher, a Republican, is running for re-election for Chatham County sheriff in Georgia. A 40-year veteran of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Wilcher originally retired in 2014 as a colonel. He ran for sheriff in a 2016 special election to replace late Sheriff Al St. Lawrence and later ran unopposed in 2020.

Richard Coleman (D) — Democrat Richard Coleman is running to replace incumbent John T. Wilcher as the Chatham County Sheriff. Coleman is a former police officer who has worked in multiple departments throughout Georgia. Though his experience spans decades, his tendency to move from one department to the next is a liability, his critics claim. Coleman argues that it shows he is “dedicated to the call.”

Coroner

Tiffany S. Williams (R) — Tiffany S. Williams, a Republican, is running to replace incumbent David L. Campbell as the Chatham County Coroner. Williams knows Campbell personally; the two worked together at the coroners’ office before Williams left her position as deputy coroner in 2021. She allegedly had a disagreement with Campbell. If elected, Williams plans to focus on reducing the death certificate backlog in Chatham County by allowing deputy coroners to sign certificates.

David L. Campbell (D) — David L. Campbell, a Democrat, is running for re-election for Chatham County Coroner. Prior to becoming coroner in 2021, he managed his family’s funeral home , Campbell and Sons Funeral Home. Much of Campbell’s first term in office has been defined by the county’s death certificate backlog. The current turnaround time for a death certificate, Campbell says, is 30 days , down from the multiple months it took before he assumed office. His opponent, Tiffany Williams, argues that she can reduce that time further.

County Commission Chair

Joel S. Boblasky (R) — Joel Boblasky, a Republican, is currently running for chairman of the Chatham County Commission. He is a fifth-generation resident of the county, according to his campaign website . Boblasky has spent over 30 years working as a commercial agent and broker. He says this experience and knowledge of the county's development, demographics, and infrastructure make him a viable candidate for chairman.

Chester A. Ellis (D) — Democrat Chester Ellis, the current Chatham County Board of Commissioners Chairman, is seeking re-election in the 2024 race. If re-elected, he wants to continue his plans for economic development and growth in the county.  Before becoming the Chatham County commissioner, Ellis spent one term as the commissioner for District 8. He also worked for 30 years as a coach and teacher in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.

County Commission District 6

Leonard C. Massey (R) — Republican Leonard Massey is challenging incumbent Aaron “Adot” Whitely for commissioner of Chatham County's District 6. Massey is currently the president of The Social, a senior living community in Savannah. He previously worked as a hotel general manager at Hotel Indigo Savannah, as well as a board member of the Tourism Leadership Council.

Aaron “Adot” Whitely (D ) — Aaron "Adot" Whitely, a Democrat, is vying for re-election for commissioner for Chatham County's District 6. If re-elected, it will be his second term in office. Through his first term, Whitley has worked to increase community engagement, particularly with youth. When he announced his re-election bid, he touted the development of the Chatham Youth Court and his removal of daytime fees for using county recreation fields.

County Commission District 7

Dean Kicklighter (R ) — Dean Kicklighter, a Republican, has been the long-time commissioner for Chatham County's District 7. He has held the position since 2000. Before serving as commissioner, Kicklighter was the mayor of Garden City, Georgia, from 1998 to 2000.

Orlando Scott (D) — Democrat Orlando Scott is challenging incumbent Dean Kicklighter for Chatham County's District 7 commissioner. Scott is currently a local retail manager at Murphy USA. He also serves as an elder and ministry leader at Overcoming by Faith, an evangelical church in Savannah, Georgia.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Georgia Voter Guide: Get to know the Chatham County candidates