Voters in Forsyth County and Georgia had more to decide than their next U.S. President and elected officials. Ballot questions ranged from creating a fund for child sex trafficking victims to local educational matters.
---
Georgia Amendment 1: Opportunity School District
---
WHAT: Gov. Nathan Deal’s proposed Opportunity School District would create a statewide school district and give the governor’s office the authority to take over failing schools.
VOTE: Failed, with 59.95 percent of Georgians voting against. In Forsyth County, 59.95 percent voted no.
“I have always believed — and research supports — that the best schools, and the best school systems, are the ones where home, school, and community work together,” Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden said. “It is my hope that the Department of Education will utilize resources to help engage and support communities to focus on best practices. Forsyth County Schools is ready, willing, and able to share with other districts practices that we employ that have proved successful for our students and community.”
---
Georgia Amendment 2: Creating a fund for child sex trafficking victims resources
---
WHAT: Safe Harbor Yes will dedicate money to organizations that support juvenile victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking by placing a fee on adult entertainment establishments that provide alcohol and nudity and by fining people convicted of human trafficking.
VOTE: Passed with 83.3 percent of the vote statewide. Forsyth County voted 85.74 percent in favor.
---
Georgia Amendment 3: Abolishing and re-forms the Judicial Qualifications Committee
---
WHAT: The amendment will abolish the Judicial Qualifications Commission and replace it with another committee that will answer to and be run out of the state legislature.
VOTE: Passed by 62.48 percent throughout Georgia and 66.14 percent in Forsyth.
---
Georgia Amendment 4: Directs existing taxes on fireworks to trauma care, fire services and public safety departments
---
WHAT: Tax revenue will be allocated for issues that may arise from unsafe firework use and put it towards trauma care, fire services and public safety services.
VOTE: Passed, with 81.18 percent of Georgians voting in favor, including 82.9 percent in Forsyth.
---
Both local education ballot questions pass
---
Locally, a new educational SPLOST and the Homestead Exemption both passed, receiving a 63.3 percent yes vote and a 60.09 percent yes vote, respectively.
“We are grateful to the voters of Forsyth County for approving the continuation of the SPLOST and for closing the loophole on the senior homestead exemption,” said Jennifer Caracciolo, spokeswoman for Forsyth County Schools. “We work hard to be good stewards of the tax dollars that are entrusted to us, while meeting the needs of all students that call Forsyth County home.”