SCOTT SOWERS/ www.gwinnettherald.com
November 08, 2007 | 05:16 PM
Voters in Duluth decided Nov. 6 the new mayor for their city will be Nancy Harris, a lifelong resident with more than 30 years of experience in the Gwinnett County school system. She defeated Jim Johnson with an unofficial tally of 663 votes to his 495.
The open City Council Post 5 seat will go to a runoff with Maxine Garner facing off against Greg Whitlock.
The tax allocation district referendum was passed overwhelmingly by voters.
Harris and her group of supporters erupted in applause when City Clerk Teresa Lynn read the results aloud in City Hall at approximately 7:50 p.m.
“I just want to say ‘thank-you’ to my supporters. It was a very heartwarming experience to know that people believe in me and want to be a part of my vision for Duluth,” Harris said.
Harris went on to say that she is excited to get out and meet people and really get to know everything about the job.
“I’m not one to take things quickly,” she said. “It is my goal to make Duluth an economically viable city.”
The four-candidate race to replace Doris Kirouac’s post in City Council has been pared down to two with Maxine Garner and Greg Whitlock moving on for the Dec. 4 runoff. Garner’s 466 votes narrowly edged out Whitlock’s 404. Marline Santiago-Cook and Arnie Garrett were the other candidates in the race.
“I knew there was a good chance of a runoff, it was just a matter of who it would be,” Whitlock said. We thought Marline would take some votes from me, so the key will be getting those voters to come out and vote for me.”
Garner felt good about her chances against Whitlock.
“I’m excited to be in the lead right now. I just hope we can get as many people to come out and vote on the 4th as did today because these local elections are very important. I’m going to win.”
Post 4 Councilman Doug Mundrick ran unopposed and received 850 votes against 20 write-in.
