Gwinnett Daily Post

LAWRENCEVILLE - This is a November to remember in Gwinnett cities.

Thirteen of 15 local cities have races to settle Tuesday - the highest number Gwinnett Elections Supervisor Lynn Ledford remembers seeing in two decades.

And while the candidates have been out in force, officials have to wait to see how many voters show up.

"With Suwanee and Snellville being so controversial, they may draw out more," Ledford said. "I think they are going to have pretty good turnout."

The predictions this election depend on the city.

In Buford, where voters only have a choice on a local redevelopment referendum, not a single voter made it to City Hall by Thursday morning to participate in last week's early voting period.

But in Snellville, where the race for mayor between Jerry Oberholtzer and Bruce Garraway has made headlines, City Clerk Sharon Lowery had more than 200 early voters by Thursday. She expects more than 3,000 to cast ballots in the hard-fought election.

In all, six mayors will be decided in Gwinnett cities - Auburn, Duluth, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville and Suwanee - as well as Barrow cities, Winder and Bethlehem.

Nine cities are considering redevelopment referendums, with Buford and Braselton having only those contests on the ballot. And two local cities, Loganville and Statham, will consider liquor sales, Loganville for the fourth time.