Insurance agent Tracy Smith and lawyer Barry Irwin are both challenging incumbent ACC Commissioner Ovita Thornton in District 9 in Athens, Georgia. APN interviewed all three candidates and edited them together for this week’s podcast.
0:28 – Meet Barry Irwin
2:14 – Meet Tracy Smith
5:23 – Meet Ovita Thornton
10:36 – Tracy’s experience
12:42 – Barry’s experience & top priorities
15:08 – Tracy’s top priorities
18:46 – Ovita’s top priorities
19:47 – Ovita’s voting record on resolutions
25:40 – Tracy’s thoughts on Ovita as commissioner
26:44 – Ovita responds to Tracy’s criticism
29:24 – The water crisis in Pinewoods
33:37 – Why voters should choose Ovita
35:36 – Why voters should choose Tracy
36:15 – Why voters should choose Barry
District 9 includes the north Athens area from Newton Bridge Road to Spring Valley Road.
The election will take place on May 19, 2026. Early voting started on April 27.
This podcast is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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