STATESBORO, Ga. — As Election Day approaches, the spotlight in Statesboro is not only on the mayoral race but also on the competitive contest for the city’s District 1 Council seat.

In a recent interview, the two candidates vying for this position shared their visions for the city’s future. The race is a repeat matchup from the 2024 special election, featuring incumbent Councilwoman Tangie Johnson and her challenger, John Grotheer.

Discussing strategies to manage Statesboro’s ongoing growth, both candidates voiced their commitment to the community. Grotheer emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “We need to work closely with our partners, including the school board, the county, and Georgia Southern University. It’s crucial that we manage our resources effectively and operate as a cohesive team moving forward.”

Both shared their ideas with about how the city should handle its ongoing growth.

“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