You don’t have long to register to vote in mayor’s race

The last day to register to vote in the upcoming election for Cairo mayor is fast approaching.
The close of business Monday, Oct. 7 is the last day a Cairo resident can register to vote in the Nov. 5 municipal election.
According to Cairo City Clerk Carolyn Lee, who serves as the city election superintendent, there are currently 5,616 registered city voters. Of that total, 4,338 are active voters and have voted in the most recent city elections and 1,278 are inactive voters.
The mayor’s race is a three-man contest between two former county commissioners and a former member of the Grady County Board of Education.
Bobby Burns, 75, served on the Grady County Commission for 16 years and is currently serving on the Grady County Board of Tax Assessors. Burns is a retired banker and works along with his son in the family business, First Realty & Appraisals.
Charles Renaud, 49, served a four-year term on the Grady County Commission. Renaud is the owner of Paper Making Control Services, a company based in Port St. Joe, FL. He is also a licensed real estate appraiser.
Scott Higginbotham, 43, was a member of the Grady County Board of Education up until the date he qualified to run for mayor and under Georgia law he vacated his post. Higginbotham was appointed to the board in July 2010. He ran unopposed in Nov. 2010 for a four-year term, which would have ended on Dec. 31, 2014.
Higginbotham is an investment advisor with TNB Financial, which is based in Thomasville. He formerly was associated with Edward Jones here from 2003 until 2010.
Absentee ballots will become available on Monday, Oct. 14 from the Grady County Registrar’s office on the first floor of the Grady County Courthouse.
Advanced voting will also begin on Monday, Oct. 14 and will be conducted from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays through Friday, Nov. 1.
The advanced voting will also be conducted at the Grady County Registrar’s office at the courthouse.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5 and all voting for city elections is conducted at the Grady County Agri-Center.
For more information about the upcoming city election contact City Clerk Carolyn Lee at 229-377-1722, ext. 111.