VALDOSTA — Valdosta attorney William Whitesell overcame Valdosta Municipal Court Judge Jeremy Baker to become the next judge of Superior Court in the Southern Judicial Circuit.
The circuit consists of Brooks, Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes and Thomas counties, and voters in all five counties voted to choose the judge.
Throughout the circuit, Whitesell received 11,798 votes to Baker’s 9,913.
In Brooks County the vote was Whitesell 933 to Baker’s 656.
In Colquitt County, Whitesell led 1,882 to 1,529.
In Echols County, Whitesell led 370 to 160.
In Lowndes County — both men’s home turf — Whitesell drew 5,335 votes to Baker’s 4,079.
Thomas County was the only county to favor Baker: He led there 3,489 votes to Whitesell’s 3,278.
Whitesell will replace Judge Richard M. Cowart, who announced in January that he would not seek another term on the bench.