Deadline Day: Richard Oden & Kai Oden qualify for Rockdale Chairman’s race, Clerk of Courts race respectively

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Richard A. Oden, former Chairman of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, on Friday, March 8, entered the race for Chairman, challenging incumbent Oz Nesbitt, Sr.

Oden filed his qualifying papers by the noon deadline, said Rockdale Democratic Party Committee Chair Rosalyn Ridgeway.

Oden, who served as chairman from 2009 to 2016, joins JaNice Van Ness, a former Rockdale commissioner, James Sendelbach, a licensed professional counselor, and Brian L. Jenkins, in the Chairman’s race. Jenkins is a community activist who serves as president of the Rockdale branch of the NAACP and owns a landscape design company.

Kai Oden, the daughter of Richard Oden, also filed qualifying papers on Friday, challenging incumbent Janice Morris for the Clerk of Courts seat. Kai Oden listed her occupation as finance manager. Morris has served as the Clerk of Courts since 2020.

Incumbent Post 1 Commissioner Sherri L. Washington is facing four challengers. Renee Harris Simpson and Fran Wright qualified on Friday for the seat, joining Tuwanya Smith and Arlan Gibson, who are also in the race.

The five-day qualifying period for the May 21, 2024 General Primary and the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election ended today(March 8).

All of the candidates who qualified this week in Rockdale are Democrats. Below is the report compiled by the Rockdale County Supervisor of Election Office.