CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County residents did not elect a new sheriff during Tuesday’s special election.
According to the Secretary of State’s office website, with 100% of precincts reporting, Interim Sheriff Levon Allen came up just shy of the 50% and one vote required to be elected.
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Both candidates will face off once again in a runoff election on Tuesday, April 18.
As of Tuesday night, he had received 47.01% of the votes while challenger Clarence Cox received 28.61%, the secretary of state’s results showed.
[LIVE RESULTS: Special election underway in city of Mableton, Clayton County]
Allen has been serving as interim sheriff since December 2022 when he was sworn in to replace retiring Interim Sheriff Roland Boehrer. He previously served as chief deputy.
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If elected, this would be Allen’s first official term as sheriff.
The special election comes after the federal indictment and conviction of former Sheriff Victor Hill. Hill was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for violating the civil rights of inmates inside the jail by strapping them into a restraint chair for hours for no reason.
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