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Gordon, Roberta mayors face election challengers

Two controversial Central Georgia mayors face opposition in November.

Dozens of cities held qualifying for city elections last week.

The races this fall include mayoral races in Warner Robins, Milledgeville, Gordon, Roberta, Gray and McRae-Helena.

Two of those races involved mayors who ran into legal problems while in office.

In Gordon, Mary Ann Whipple-Lue was elected by 40 votes in 2013 and has battled with critics since.

Opponents claim she's violated the law and should be removed from office. Whipple-Lue argues that's she's been targeted because she's a black woman.

Her case went to the state supreme court twice.

Kenneth Turner is challenging her.

In Roberta, Becky Smith is seeking a third term. Last year, the GBI investigated whether she and her husband interfered with police officers during a traffic stop involving her daughter. No charges were filed.

Three years ago, the GBI also investigated a fight between her husband and the city's police chief at city hall. Again, no one was charged.

Jay Andrews is challenging her.

Some of the other races coming up around Central Georgia:

BYRON: Farrell W. Bass is challenging council Post 3 incumbent Michael Chumbley. Lauren Dampier is challenging Post 4 incumbent Michael Chidester.

CENTERVILLE: Mayor John Harley and two council members qualified to run without opposition.

COCHRAN: Billy Yeomans qualified for mayor, without opposition. He would replace Gary Ates.

Charles Cranford and Robert Anderson both qualified for the District Two Post One council seat.

DUBLIN: Five candidates are running for three at-large council seats. They are Jerry Davis, Curtis Edwards, Sophia Jordan, Gerald Smith and Troy Windham.

Also, two candidates are running for the at-large school board seat: Nelson Carswell and Regina McRae.

DUDLEY: Mayor Jason Locke qualified for re-election without opposition. Three council candidates also qualified to run without opposition.

EATONTON: Janie Reid and Gwenette Little both qualified to run for the vacant Ward III. Three council incumbents qualified without opposition.

FORT VALLEY: There's a four-way race for mayor. Jo Ann Dankel, Ralph Davis and Jamie JaKara Johnson all qualified to challenge incumbent Barbara Williams.

Three people qualified to run for the at-large city council seat: Marvin Crafter, Drenon Everett and Constance Rainey.

Three people qualified to run for city council West Ward Post 2: Anthony Clark, Carla Gowen and Rose Marie Thompson.

And there are two candidates for the Utility Commissioner Post 3 at-large seat: Alre' Horton and Ralph Lambert.

GORDON: Kenneth Turner is challenging Mayor Mary Ann Whipple-Lue, who's seeking a second term.

Six candidates are running for three city council seats: Rose Lawrence, Phyllis Payne, William Saunders and incumbents Barbara Towles, Doretha Whipple and Bruce Daniel.

GRAY: Ed Barbee and James Collins both qualified for mayor. Stephen Tingen is stepping down.

Ken Tapee and Kema Green Clark are both running for mayor pro-tem.

Richard Tipton is challenging District 1 council member David Tufts.

Three other incumbent council members qualified without opposition.

HAWKINSVILLE: Julius "Newberry" Johnson is challenging incumbent Shelly Berryhill for city council Post 2. Hannah Cook is challenging Post 3 incumbent Henry Cravey III.

MARSHALLVILLE: No races. Valery Davis qualified for mayor without opposition.

McRAE-HELENA: Fred Crawford and Morris K. McMillian are challenging the first mayor of the combined city, Mike Young. McRae and Helena merged in 2015. Three candidates for city council are unopposed.

MILLEDGEVILLE: Mary Parham Copelan is challenging Gary Thrower, who's seeking a second term as mayor.

Richard Mullins Jr. and Harry Klein both qualified for the District Five council seat.

For the GMC Board of Trustees, Mike Cobb and Calvin Hill are bot running for the District Six seat.

OGLETHORPE: Four candidates are running for three at-large council seats: Freddie Golphin, Jimmy Bray, Kenneth Bell and Jerry Haugabook.

PERRY: Mayor James Faircloth and three city council members all qualified to run for re-election without opposition.

ROBERTA: Jay Andrews is challenging Becky Smith, who's seeking a third term as mayor.

Three people are challenging incumbent Dr. B.J. Bassett for the Post 1 council seat. They are Charles Cook, Joe Matthews and Clay Moncrief.

And two people, Sherry Thompson and Bobby Joe Daniel, are challenging Post 2 incumbent Erv Patton.

SPARTA: Five people qualified to run for two at-large council seats. They are: R. Allen Haywood, James Clark, James Culver, incumbent Paul McGhee and Hazel Betty Hill.

TENNILLE: Eartha Cummilngs qualified to challenge Deborah Eve Rhodes in the District 3, Post 2 council race.

Mayor Jerome Alexander qualified to run again, without opposition.

WARNER ROBINS: Joe Musselwhite and former mayor Chuck Shaneen qualified to challenge incumbent Randy Toms. Tom is seeking a second term.

There are two city council races:

Four people are running for Shaheen's Post 1 at-large seat: Eric Langston, Daron Lee, Jim Taylor and Jeffery Walker.

Terri Murray is challenging Post 3 council incumbent Keith Lauritsen.

Post 5 incumbent Clifford Holmes qualified without opposition.

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