Voters in Clayton County will head to the polls — again — on June 18 to pick their next sheriff.
The Democratic primary election on May 21 did not produce an outright winner in a crowded field of contenders for the office, so the top two vote-getters are facing off again: incumbent Sheriff Levon Allen and Jeffrey Turner, Clayton’s county commission chair and a former police chief.
But what does a sheriff do? In Georgia, they run a county-wide law enforcement operation, including oversight of the county jail. Unlike city police chiefs who answer to the mayors and city councils that appoint them, sheriffs are elected directly by voters.
Georgia law lays out a long list of sheriffs’ responsibilities, with hundreds of mentions in the statute.
Key among them:
- Executing court orders, such as evictions and arrest warrants.
- Maintaining courthouse security, which includes providing bailiffs.
- Operating and maintaining the county jail (in counties with a population of at least 350,000).
- Assisting with impounding livestock or dangerous dogs.
- Maintaining the sex offender registry.
- Determining the legal status of immigrants in sheriff’s office custody.
In Clayton, like Fulton County, the county jail has attracted public concern for deteriorating and dangerous conditions, including water leaks, mold, and overcrowding.
Runoff election dates to remember:
- Friday, June 7: Last day to request an absentee ballot.
- Saturday, June 8: Early voting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday – Friday, June 10-14: Early voting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 18: Election day. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m
