Runoff results
Effingham County totals
Votes Percent
U.S. Senate
Saxby Chambliss (I) 8,123 75.77
Joe Martin 2,598 24.23
Chief Magistrate
Scott Hinson 5,583 58.39
Scott Lewis 3,979 41.61
Judge of the Probate Court
Beth Rahn Mosley 5,548 56.73
Richard Rafter 4,232 43.27
Public Service Commission, District 4
Lauren McDonald 7,482 74.89
Jim Powell 2,509 25.11
Court of Appeals
Sara Doyle 4,312 49.83
Mike Sheffield 4,341 50.17
Statewide totals
U.S. Senate
Saxby Chambliss (I) 1,220,876 57.4
Joe Martin 905,650 42.6
Public Service Commission, District 4
Lauren McDonald 1,129,719 56.5
Jim Powell 870,208 43.5
Court of Appeals
Sara Doyle 883,714 51.8
Mike Sheffield 823,478 48.2
Total registered voters — 28,791
Cards cast — 10,766
Turnout — 37.39 percent
Beth Rahn Mosley and her husband Danny wasted no time in one of the more mundane tasks that come after a campaign.
The Mosleys went around Wednesday with the task of taking up the campaign signs, even after Beth Mosley outpolled Richard Rafter to win the vacant probate court judge seat. Mosley received 5,284 votes, or nearly 56.7 percent of the total, to Rafter’s 4,041 in Tuesday’s runoff.
“I am very glad,” Mosley said Wednesday afternoon. “The last three weeks have been kind of rough. I’m honored to be chosen.”
Mosley and Rafter were the top two vote-getters in November’s general election in a three-way race to succeed Frances Seckinger, who retired abruptly in April. Mosley received the most votes in the general election but fell short of the needed majority to avoid runoff. She got 44 percent of the votes on Nov. 4.
Her first foray into politics and campaigns proved to be an eye-opening experience for the long-term realtor.
“I learned a lot about politics and about county law, from putting up signs and what you can do and can’t do,” Mosley said. “I learned to really fight for what you want.”
She even campaigned to the final minute, leaving her post from waving at passing cars around 6 p.m. Tuesday to head to Walmart, where she said she picked up a couple more votes.
“I had done everything possible,” she said. “I didn’t have any regrets.”
The Mosleys waited for the results at home and got the call about the results. Now, she’s beginning her preparations to take office, which will happen Jan. 1. Mosley will have to take a mandatory training class.
“I’m very much looking forward to getting started,” she said. “I’m anxious to get in there.”
Mosley could not comment on the possible GBI investigation of the probate court office and a subsequent gag order. She did, however, say she wishes to update the office’s Web site.
Turnout for the runoff was 37 percent, as 10,766 out of 28,791 registered voters took part. While there were no delays at any of the polls, some voters expressed frustration with a Rincon Police Department checkpoint set up on Lexington Avenue near the Rincon Lions Club precinct.
