Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Georgia Equality’s endorsed candidate, will face former police officer Malik Douglas in a June 10 runoff to fill the State House District 93 seat. Dawkins-Haigler took more than 30 percent of the vote in a five-person race during Tuesday’s special election. Georgia requires candidates to receive “50 percent plus one” to win an election without a runoff.
Unofficial results from the Secretary of State's Office showed Dawkins-Haigler garnered 31.4 percent of the vote. Douglas, who recently returned from Iraq as a member of the Army National Guard, finished second with 18.9 percent. Only three votes separated Douglas and third-place finisher Tracie Waites. The early numbers also show no votes for write-in candidate KaTeasah Sagers.
For Dawkins-Haigler, a political strategist and minister also endorsed by the gay Atlanta Stonewall Democrats and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, among others, this is the first challenge of what could be three more elections.
She will face Douglas in a runoff on June 10 for the remainder of former Rep. Ron Sailor's term, which is over at the end of this year. Sailor resigned his office after pleading guilty to his role in a federal money-laundering sting.
Since Sailor left office in an election year, Dawkins-Haigler will also face Douglas, Jim Sendelbach, Traci Waites, Colet Odenigbo and Sagers in the Democratic primary July 15.
With six candidates in the primary, the odds favor a runoff on Aug. 5.
Dawkins-Haigler laughed when told she had one election down and three to go.
“That is the real challenge, but I am excited to face all of them because they all bring something different to the table,” she said. “I'm excited at one end, I want people to get out and vote and have their voices heard.”
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