What you need to know about Tuesday’s Georgia State House election

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Stickers sit on a table for voters as they leave the room after voting in the special election for the State House District 5 race at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia. The special election was held to fill the position, which was previously held by Rep. John Meadows, who died in November from cancer. Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Stickers sit on a table for voters as they leave the room after voting in the special election for the State House District 5 race at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia. The special election was held to fill the position, which was previously held by Rep. John Meadows, who died in November from cancer.

By Tyler Jett February 4, 2019 3 min read

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Georgia State House election

Staff Photo by Robin Rudd/ Jesse Vaughn, candidate for the District 5 Georgia House set speaks at the Murray County Senior Center. The Murray County Republican Party hosted a meet and greet for candidates running for the District 5 Georgia House Seat on December 20, 2018. The seat was left empty with the death of longtime house member John Meadows.

Staff Photo by Robin Rudd/ Matt Barton, candidate for the District 5 Georgia House set speaks at the Murray County Senior Center. The Murray County Republican Party hosted a meet and greet for candidates running for the District 5 Georgia House Seat on December 20, 2018. The seat was left empty with the death of longtime house member John Meadows.

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Jeri Zacharias and Martha Worley vote during a special election for the State House District 5 race at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia. The special election was held to fill the position, which was previously held by Rep. John Meadows, who died in November from cancer.

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Andy Baxter casts his vote during a special election for the State House District 5 race at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia. The special election was held to fill the position, which was previously held by Rep. John Meadows, who died in November from cancer.

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Carol Martinez and Vincent Palazzolo fill out forms as they begin the voting process with Joyce Young, assistant manager at the polling location, during a special election for the State House District 5 race at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia.

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Signs are taped to a door at the entrance of the voting area at the Calhoun City Recreation Department Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Calhoun, Georgia. A special election for the State House District 5 position was held Tuesday.

The Georgia State House race to replace former Rules Committee Chairman John Meadows, R-Calhoun, will wrap up when polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The special election runoff is between Matt Barton, a courtier business owner and former Calhoun city councilman, and attorney Jesse Vaughn. Vaughn has tripled Barton’s fundraising in this competition and has the backing of Speaker of the House David Ralston and Meadows’ family. Both now Republicans, Barton has attacked Vaughn for his previous support for the Democratic party, including an unsuccessful run as a liberal candidate in a 2002 state house race.

Polls in Gordon and Murray counties will open at 7 a.m. In Murray County, the only voters who can cast ballots are those zoned for the Southwest Precinct at County Fire State No. 5, located at 6620 Highway 225 S.

In Gordon County, polls are open at all precincts except at the Oakman and Fairmount precincts. Here is where the other precincts are located:

» A County: Belmont Baptist Church, 126 W. Belmont Drive, Calhoun