Rockdale Citizen

Pam Dickerson

COVINGTON -- State Rep. Pam Dickerson, D-Conyers, won a second term in office in Tuesday's runoff, beating Newton County native Sharon Sawyer in the House District 113 race.

Dickerson took 56.06 percent of the vote to Sawyer's 43.94 percent. A total of 1,345 ballots were cast in Newton and Rockdale counties, the two counties that comprise District 113. Dickerson received 754 votes and Sawyer received 591.

Former Rep. Toney Collins was eliminated from the race in the primary. No Republicans qualified, meaning Tuesday night's victory decided the race.

Dickerson had represented District 95, but redistricting put her in the 113th District, which includes the eastern portion of Rockdale County and the western portion of Newton County.

Dickerson previously told the Citizen the bills she sponsored during her first term were constituent-driven.

"Both the bills I sponsored came from needs from my constituents," Dickerson said. "I think that's important because I listen to the people, that's why my motto is 'Pam for the People' because it's all about the people. It's not about me. It's about what my constituents are telling me they would like to see and what they want to see."

Dickerson sponsored House Bill 681 that would relieve certain food establishments from additional regulations if providing food for nonprofit organizations.

Dickerson said even though the bill did not make it out of the Senate Rules Committee she was pleased that it passed out of the House of Representatives with bipartisan support and was supported by the departments of health and agriculture.

Her signature legislation, though, is one dealing with cyber bullying. She sponsored HB 680 that would make it a misdemeanor when an unknowing person is identified in an obscene depiction. This bill was prompted by Newton County resident Randy Upton, whose teenage daughter was the victim of a person who digitally altered her image to appear as pornography online.

That bill did not make it out of committee this session, so Dickerson said she plans to reintroduce it next year. In the meantime, she said she plans to hold anti-bullying rallies at local schools this fall similar to one she hosted at Newton High School last year.

In the Democratic runoff for state House District 92, Tonya P. Anderson of Lithonia defeated Doreen Williams of Conyers with 51.2 percent of the vote to be elected to the seat. There were no Republican candidates in this race.

Anderson, whose occupation is listed with the Secretary of State as pastor and consultant, received 405 total votes in the district that includes parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, and Williams received 386 votes.

In Rockdale voting alone, the results were reversed, with Williams garnering 60.61 percent of the vote to Anderson's 39.39 percent. Of the total 791 votes cast in both counties, 50 percent were from Rockdale voters.