Incumbent Ralph Van Pelt keeps Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court judgeship

Superior Court Judge Ralph Van Pelt Jr., right, receives a thumbs up from Wanda Hill, left, late Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Ringgold.

By Zack Peterson May 23, 2018 4 min read

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Georgians vote in primary elections

Voters cast their ballots at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

A woman votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Donna Buchanan votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Nathan Tucker hands his voting card to elections worker Ellen Devlin after voting for the first time at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Greg Carpenter votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

James Jordan votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

The 1956 Georgia state flag is displayed in a frame as George Farr votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Trace Brewington looks on from his uncle Mike Summers's shoulder as Summers votes at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in Chickamauga, Ga. Turnout was steady at the polling place for Georgia's Tuesday primary election.

Ralph Van Pelt Jr. will remain Georgia’s Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge after a nail-biting victory over his first opponent in 22 years.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s non-partisan election show Van Pelt finished 745 votes ahead of Melissa Hise, a Summerville, Georgia, attorney who started a non-profit supervised visitation center for parents and children.

But for much of the night, Van Pelt and Hise traded the lead. At one point, Hise was up by one vote. Results continued to trickle in from Chattooga, Dade and Walker counties. In the end, roughly 1,500 early votes in Catoosa County propelled Van Pelt to victory. He finished with 7,533 votes to Hise’s 6,788.

Superior Court Judge candidate Melissa Hise smiles while votes are still being counted late Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in LaFayette. Tina Esparza, right, her sister, enjoys the moment.

“I chalk it up to getting out and working and having good people helping,” Van Pelt said afterward.

Since his appointment to the bench in 1996, Van Pelt has never faced an opponent in the circuit, which covers Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker counties. But after he unsuccessfully tried to usurp Kristina Cook Graham as the circuit’s senior judge in October 2016, Graham’s father, Summerville lawyer Bobby Lee Cook, promised Van Pelt a “blood sport” of an election.