School board chairman candidates optimistic about runoff

Political newcomer Lawrence Hammond forced a runoff in the first at-large elected Columbia County school board chairman race.

With only provisional ballots left to count as of Wednesday, Hammond garnered 8,473 votes in the Tuesday general election.

He came in third behind Regina Buccafusco and frontrunner Lee Muns, who will now face each other in a Dec. 5 runoff election.

Muns led the pack with 10,342 votes, 36.65 percent, and Buccafusco was close behind with 9,358 votes, or 33.17 percent.

Muns intends to carry the edge he gained from the general election into the runoff race.

"From the phone calls I've gotten this morning, I feel like I have strong momentum," Muns said Wednesday.

Buccafusco ran a low-key campaign for the general election.

"People have a short memory when it comes to politics and I didn't want to spend a lot of money and put all my efforts until the last few weeks, and it worked," she said.

However, Buccafusco plans to put more effort into winning the runoff.

"I'm definitely going to step it up," she said.

Buccafusco said she hopes to win the endorsement of Hammond.

Muns on Wednesday congratulated Hammond on running a good campaign.

Later that day, Hammond pledged his support to Buccafusco.

"She is committed to working better with the elected officials and lead the board to be more customer-service oriented," Hammond said.

For the District 2 school board seat, incumbent Mildred Blackburn soundly defeated opponent Alma "Sissy" Hobbs.

Blackburn took 79.03 percent of the vote, which is 4,473 ballots cast in her favor. Hobbs received only 1,179 votes, or 20.83 percent.

Blackburn credited her eight-year service on the board and her stance on protecting the rights of parents and students for her win.

Phone messages left for Hobbs last week were not immediately returned.