PULASKI, Ga. — After three terms in office, voters ousted Pulaski County Sheriff Danny Brannen from office, with voters sending Wayne Wiley and Terry Hood to a run-off. It comes after Gov. Brian Kemp’s office announced they were looking into Brannen’s fitness for office in March 2023.
In total, four candidates entered the ring in hopes of replacing Brannen. He was challenged by Amanda Vaughn, Greg Hattaway, Terry Hood and Wayne Wiley.
The pair of challengers that will head to a runoff include Hood, who is a deputy sheriff and Wayne Wiley, a retired Georgia State Patrol trooper.
“I don’t think it’s really set in yet of course we’re happy and excited but I don’t think I’ll really feel it until I wake up in the morning," Hood said.
"You know five candidates and with everyone having friends and family it’s going to split the votes up and we figured it’d be a runoff," Wiley said.
The board of elections recorded over 1900 ballots for the sheriff’s race both candidates want to protect the children in the community.
"Improve the safety of our school, adding a resource officer there. Improve the safety of the hospital, the courthouse, downtown area. There are so many areas even the county you know the county needs patrolling just as much as the city does and that’s what we want to work on just improving those areas," Wiley said.
"First and foremost is school safety. We will add another resource officer January 6 when school starts back even if we have to pay a deputy part time or overtime to work that school. All deputies are going to walk that school on a daily basis. We’re going to work on the gang and the drug problem, free education, and enforcement," Hood said.
Wiley and Hood said they saw a need and wanted to be the man who gets work done.
"I saw a need. I saw a safety need that needed to be met. I wasn't ready to retire and I just wanted to continue my service to the citizens of Pulaski County by meeting that need," Wiley said.
"I said enough is enough with the drugs, the gang problem starting to develop. I want to try to do something about it," Hoods said.
People in Pulaski County can expect to see these two candidates working their campaign the next four weeks for the June 18 runoff.
"It’s still going on. It’s still going strong. We’re going to keep going door to door and also listen to people’s concerns," Wiley said.
"Get out and see as many people as you can you know ask them how you can earn their vote," Hood said.
Here’s a look at how Pulaski County voted this election:
Amanda Vaughn: 4.89%, (97 VOTES)
Danny Brannen: 8.37%, (166 VOTES)
Greg Hattaway: 16.18%, (321 VOTES)
Terry Hood: 27.72%, (550 VOTES)
Wayne Wiley: 42.84%, (850 VOTES)
As the vote tallies stream in, we are following races across Central Georgia, ranging from sheriffs’ races to commission seats to the race for mayor of Macon-Bibb County. You can see more of our live coverage here. You can also see all the races we’re tracking here.