TENNILLE — William Pierce likes to say he was born and raised in the woods.
Pierce, 82, was born in 1941 on more than 600 acres his father purchased in 1919. He still holds on to the deed despite the family selling the land years ago.
Even though no one in his family talked much about politics, Pierce was always interested in his civic responsibilities. In 1960, as Black Americans across the South fought for the right to vote, he registered at age 18 to vote in state and local elections (The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowering the voting age to 18 in federal elections was not ratified until 1971).
“I registered as soon as I got old enough, and I’ve voted every year since then,” Pierce said. “If I missed (any), it wasn’t only but one or two.”
His home in Tennille, on land adjacent to the property formerly owned by his father, is modest and sits on about 17 acres that also includes his now-closed auto repair shop, some abandoned household appliances and an RV he’s holding onto after the death of his brother.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
When it comes to the presidential race, most Washington County residents haven’t really begun to pay attention to the rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. A few Trump campaign signs can be seen scattered around Sandersville and Tennille, but it’s not a huge concern just yet.
Pierce said he’s always voted for Democrats. When it comes to the presidential race, he said many people who are critical of Biden aren’t informed.
“If you’re just looking from the outside, you don’t really know what’s going on,” Pierce said. “Most people don’t really have a clue about the contributions that Biden has made and the mess Trump left for him.”
Pierce said Biden has a lot of accomplishment such as a nationwide drop in violent crime, a decreased cost of living and an increase in families’ average net worth since Biden took office. Though the cost of living has decreased under Biden, it’s not as low as it was when Trump was president, according to an analysis by Bloomberg News.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Lifelong residents describe Washington County as a moderate place, with voters leaning slightly left or right of center. That lean often falls along racial lines, with Black voters supporting Democrats and many white voters backing Republicans, several county residents said.
As of July 2023, Black residents accounted for about 53% of Washington County’s nearly 20,000 residents, according to U.S. census data. About 44% of the county population is white. Hispanic or Latino residents account for about 3%.
Voters in Washington County have selected the Democratic candidate in five of the past six presidential elections. In 2004, the county’s voters supported Republican President George W. Bush’s reelection. In 2020, Biden got 50.1% of the county’s vote. Trump secured 49.3%.
“I will say that our community is probably very well divided between the Democratic and Republican parties,” said Tabitha Hatfield, owner of Elite Heat, a facility that offers cheerleading, gymnastics and after-school care for children in Sandersville.
Hatfield, 45, said after spending about 20 years working with children, her main focus is supporting policies that will keep public schools strong. She started her family in Wilkinson County, but once her children were school-age, she moved back so they could attend the Washington County schools that educated her.
“I’m not really big into politics, but the new voucher program that they have could seriously impact the public school systems,” she said of a bill Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law allowing parents with children in low-performing schools to use state funds to pay for private schools or home schooling. “I hate to see something like that within our public education program.”
Her love for children was on display recently when youngsters attending a summer camp at the facility clamored for her attention so they could show them a new gymnastics move they learned.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Hatfield wouldn’t describe herself as a single-issue voter. She puts education and the economy at the top of her list.
“I’m going to look for someone who is going to invest in the future of our children,” Hatfield said. “My grandparents (and) my family made that investment when I was a child, and it’s impacted my life now. The choices and decisions that we make at this point will impact the lives of our children and grandchildren in the future.”
Pierce said he’s frustrated by those who say they’re going to sit out this election, especially Black voters who forget that not that long ago, they didn’t have a guaranteed right to vote.
“I’ve been under worse (presidential administrations),” Pierce said. “We don’t have a whole lot of good choices, so we have to take what we get. Might be the devil or the witch. I choose whatever my party is.”
