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Seven candidates qualify for Decatur-based House special election

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Seven candidates qualify for Decatur-based House special election

File photo by Jonathan Phillips
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This story has been updated. 

By Patrick Saunders, contributor 

Decatur, GA — A former DeKalb County commissioner and several former candidates for various posts were among the seven that qualified for the special election for a House seat in Decatur.

The Feb. 9 race is to fill the House District 90 seat of former state Rep. Pam Stephenson, whose daughter used a power of attorney to announce her mother’s resignation in September due to Stephenson’s personal health issues. HD 90 includes parts of DeKalb, Henry and Rockdale Counties.

Stephenson — who was first elected to the seat in 2004 — won the Democratic primary in June and no Republicans filed to run, so only Democrats were eligible for the special election.

The seven qualifying candidates are:

– Stan Watson, a former DeKalb commissioner who came in second to Stephenson in the Democratic primary for the HD 90 seat earlier this year.

– Greg Shealey, an entrepreneur who came in second in the HD 90 Democratic primary in 2018 and third in the primary earlier this year.

– Ed Williams, a community activist and educator who came in fourth in the nonpartisan primary for the DeKalb County Commission District 7 seat in 2018.

– Angela Moore, a public relations specialist who came in third in the Democratic primary for Secretary of State in 2010.

– Joel Thibodeaux, an internal auditor who came in second to Tonya Anderson in the Democratic primary for the state Senate District 43 seat in Lithonia in 2018.

– Diandra Hines, an account executive

– Valerie Murphy, a senior systems business analyst

Qualifying for the race took place Dec. 16-18. A runoff, if needed, will be held March 9, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The last day to register to vote for the election is Jan. 11. Advance in-person and absentee voting will begin Jan. 19.

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