Stephens County — In the race for Stephens County Sheriff, Randy Shirley, 52, defeated Scotty Scarbrough, 37, in the Democratic primary on Tuesday with 84 percent of the vote. Shirley had 1,696 votes and Scarbrough had 317, or 16 percent.

Shirley, of Toccoa, is a former police chief of Lavonia.

Jimmy Mize, 41, with 1,791 votes, or 75 percent, defeated Dennis Brewer, 57, with 602 votes, or 25 percent, in the Republican race for county sheriff.

Mize, of Toccoa, is the patrol commander and operations director for the sheriff’s office.

The Democratic winner will face the Republican winner in the Nov. 4 general election for sheriff.

In other races:

Kathleen Jordan, 55, defeated Jim Ledford, 69, in the Democratic race for County Commission Post 5. Jordan had 945 votes, or 53 percent, and Ledford had 836 votes, or 47 percent.

Jordan, who currently works in retail, said she has fought for fair taxation for her entire 17 years in Toccoa.

Also in the race for Post 5 on the commission, Dean Scarborough, 53, defeated Bill Good. Scarborough had 1,648 votes, or 64 percent, and Good had 914, or 35 percent in the Republican Primary.

Scarborough, who owned a men’s clothing store for 25 years in Toccoa, said he supports creating new jobs through existing industries and soliciting new industries.

The Democratic winner will face Republican winner in the Nov. 4 general election for the Post 5 seat.

Steve Tilley, 59, defeated Melvin Barret, 60, in the Democratic race for County Commission Post 3. Tilley had 1,349 votes, or 72 percent, and Barrett had 518 votes, or 28 percent of the vote. .

Tilley, a retired vice president of Gainesville State College from Toccoa, wants to recruit viable businesses for the county and provide more job training at technical colleges.

Also in the Republican race for Post 3 on the commission, incumbent Kenneth Peeples, 68, lost to challenger Jonesy Haygood, 63.

Haygood received 1,508, or 60 percent, and Peeples received 1,012, or 40 percent.

Peeples, of Toccoa, has been chairman of the commission for the past two years and has been on the commission for the past four.

Haygood, a retired high school teacher of Eastanolle, wants to bring more quality jobs to the county, cut excessive spending and lower taxes.

Chris Stephens defeated Dennis Bell in the Democratic race for the county coroner with 55 percent of the vote. Stephens had 1,071 votes, while Bell had 893 votes, or 45 percent. The winner will face Republican Charlie Harris on Nov. 4.

Dene Hicks got 53 percent of the vote to defeat Alan Smith and Woody Blasingame in the Republican race for tax commissioner.

Hicks got 1,355 votes, while Smith received 259 votes, or 11 percent, Blasingame got 930 votes, or 36 percent.

Hicks faces no opposition in November.

Reporter Robin Dake of WNEG AM-630 in Georgia and reporter Elaine Irivin contributed to this report.