JONESBORO, Ga. — The Clayton County Democratic Committee held elections Saturday to fill internal party positions ahead of a special congressional election and the 2026 state convention.
The meeting at B'Mari Events & Art Studio focused on filling roles including 3rd Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, State Convention Delegates and Commission District Leaders. Though these positions rarely attract public attention, they carry significant weight in a county where Democrats hold registration advantages and turnout often determines electoral outcomes.
The immediate priority was assembling a full delegation to the 2026 State Democratic Party of Georgia convention scheduled for Savannah on Aug. 1. The county needed 18 delegates total — 12 primary delegates and 6 alternates. Walking into Saturday's meeting, Clayton County had only five.
Pat Pullar, former Clayton County Democratic Committee Chair, presided over the caucus voting and emphasized the urgency of the task. "We need to have a full slate going into this very important election season," Pullar told more than 25 people at the meeting. "It's all hands on deck at this point. We have to get everyone that's breathing to vote."
Pullar noted that delegates would need to fund their own travel to Savannah, as the committee would not cover costs such as gas.
"We finally have a slate that looks like the face of Georgia, so we should be excited," she said, encouraging attendees to view the opportunity as worth the personal investment.
By the conclusion of Saturday's caucus, the full slate of 12 delegates and 6 alternates had been finalized.
Three officer positions — 3rd Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary — remained unfilled. Herman Drew Andrews, who presided over the meeting, urged attendees to consider volunteering for the roles.
The timing is significant. On July 28, Clayton County voters will participate in a special election to choose a replacement for U.S. Congressman David Scott in District 13. Scott, who represented the district for decades, died earlier this year at age 80.
Clayaton County has 193,000 registered voters. During June's primary runoff election, only 16,877 voted, compared to more than 48,700 in May's general primary — a sharp drop-off that underscores persistent challenges for organizers in maintaining voter engagement between major election cycles.
Building the infrastructure needed to sustain voter participation requires having fully staffed leadership positions that can organize district-level operations, manage delegate logistics and maintain communication between the committee and the broader party base.
