Friday, November 7, 2025–10:15 a.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

Last Tuesday saw the election of two new Rome City Commissioners and two new members of the Rome City School Board.

That was a trend that was seen statewide.

Larry Hanson, CEO of the Georgia Municipal Association, recently spoke to the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions.

He said 75 new mayors were elected across the state.

In addition, 500 new city council members were elected.

But unlike Rome, where Jill Fisher had experience on the Rome City School Board, and Vic Hixon on the Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission, many of those elected statewide had previously had no local government involvement.

Many of the new council members are also young.

In addition, both incumbents on the Georgia Public Service Commission lost by wide margins.

In District Two, Democrat Alicia Johnson defeated Republican Tim Echols by a margin of 63% to 37%.

For District 3, Democrat Peter Hubbard defeated Republican Fitz Johnson by the same margin.

Regarding referendums, 100 percent of special purpose, local option, education SPLOSTs and Transportation SPLOSTs passed.

There were 36 Floating Local Option Sales Tax referendums around the state.

Floyd County was one of only three counties where citizens voted it down.

The FLOST would have seen the implementation of a one-penny sales tax, with the proceeds being used to reduce the millage rate.

The FLOST passed in the Alto Park, Cave Spring, Chulio, East Rome, Everett Springs, Howell, North Rome, South Rome, and Town Rome precincts by slim margins, but failed by larger margins in the Coosa, Etowah, Floyd Springs, Fosters Mill, Garden lakes, Glenwood, Lindale, New Armuchee, Shannon, and South Floyd precincts.