Thirty-two years after he was first elected, Whitfield County’s Democratic sheriff was ousted by a Republican challenger who is also one of his former deputies.
Darren Pierce, who worked at the sheriff’s office for 18 years, received 54% of the vote Tuesday and will become Whitfield County’s new sheriff in 2025. Pierce earned the Republican nomination over four others when he got 53% of the vote in the May primary election.
Incumbent Scott Chitwood, one of the last Democrats in local office in Northwest Georgia, received around 46% of the vote and was denied another term in office.
(READ MORE: Whitfield County sheriff, opponent face off at candidate forum)
Campaigning against Chitwood was a difficult task, Pierce said, and not only because he was a 32-year incumbent.