A Republican county chairman from Camilla will head to the state House to fill a vacant southwest Georgia seat.

Joe Campbell, chairman of the Mitchell County Republican Party, received the most votes in a three-way race to fill the House District 171 seat that previously was held by state Rep. Jay Powell, a Camilla Republican who died in November.

Campbell received about 58.3% of the nearly 5,000 ballots cast on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State's office. Jewell Howard, a Baconton Democrat who is a retired teacher, in secured about 33.6% of votes cast. Howard lost to Powell in 2012.

Tommy Akridge, a farmer who also is a Republican from Camilla, came in third place was about 8% of the vote.

House District 171 covers parts of Colquitt, Decatur and Mitchell counties.

Campbell will serve the remainder of Powell’s term, which ends in January. A general election for the seat will be held in November.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, who competed in Georgia but isn’t from the state, speaks to the news media after testifying in opposition to transgender athletes in women's sports in front of the state senate’s Special Committee on Protecting Women's Sports at the Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Featured

Much of Georgia is under a Level 3 of 5 risk for severe weather on March 31, 2025. The far northern portion of the state is under a Level 2 and 1 risk.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News