STATESBORO, Ga. — As Election Day approaches, excitement is not limited to the mayoral contest; the battle for a seat on the Statesboro City Council is heating up as well.

In recent interviews, the candidates for the District 1 Council seat, incumbent Tangie Johnson and her opponent John Grotheer, discussed their visions for the city’s future and how they plan to govern if given the opportunity.

This election serves as a rematch of the 2024 special election between Johnson and Grotheer, adding an extra layer of intensity to their campaigns.

Both candidates articulated their strategies for navigating Statesboro’s continuous growth. Grotheer emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “We need to work alongside our partners—like the school board, the county, and Georgia Southern University. It’s crucial that we manage our resources effectively and move forward as a united team.”

“We need to collaborate with our partners,” Grotheer said. “That being the school board, the county and Georgia Southern (University). I think we need to manage wisely our resources and work together as a team going forward.”

In a document given to by Grotheer, he expanded that areas that should be managed collaboratively include “infrastructure, natural resources, recreation and economic development.”

Johnson echoed Grotheer’s calls for collaboration and added she wants to preserve Statesboro the way it is.

“I’m running to keep our community safe and also protect the character that’s already here while we’re still growing,” she said. “Even though we’re growing and it’s like I say, ‘it is going great,’ I also want to keep the character and the heart of Statesboro the same.” 

Both candidates also shared a goal of theirs that they said they hope to accomplish if elected/re-elected.

“I want to expand upon the affordable housing coming into District 1, as we have it already in District 2,” Johnson said. “That is a great project with Bryant’s Landing but I want to see something like that also in our district. We still have some improvements to work on.”

Grotheer told he would review the city’s spending.

“We need to cut our spending,” he said. “We need to prioritize our spending. I, for one, want to see our taxes not increase, but look for alternatives to raising taxes. I believe we can do that, but we’re going to need to operate more efficiently.”

Both Johnson and Grotheer expressed interest in continuing support and providing additional resources for the city’s first responders as the area grows.

You can watch below full interviews with each candidate:

John Grotheer Full Interview

Tangie Johnson Full Interview

Early voting closed Friday but those who still need to vote can do so on Election Day, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Click here to find your Bulloch County voting precinct.

For more information on the Nov. 4 general elections in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire, visit www.wsav.com/electionhq