IT IS NO SURPRISE that voters in Cherokee County on Tuesday turned out in record numbers, many stepping on the gas to get to the polls and vote against the proposed penny sales tax for transportation.

According to an analysis of the numbers, jut over 5 percent of the almost 44,300 voters who went to the polls this time around only cast a vote on one issue — the TSPLOST.

Cherokee County voters also appeared to choose youth over experience, with many of those elected Tuesday under the age of 40.

The Republican nominee for the state House District 20 seat, Michael Caldwell, is only 22 years old. Caldwell now faces Democrat Lillian Burnamen, age 57 and a school teacher, in the November general election.

Caldwell, if elected, could possibly be one of the youngest state legislators of all times.

Caldwell, who grew up in Cherokee County, beat out incumbent Charlice Byrd, who is 60. Byrd ran on her experience, both politically and in life.

Seems like the voters wanted fresh ideas, however, with another younger candidate, Mandi Ballinger, 37, coming out of a four-man field without a runoff to head down to the state Capitol in January.

Pre-election predictions put Ballinger likely to see a runoff with long-time Republican leader Alan Shinall, 70, who recently retired from his business career. Shinall, who served as chairman of the Cherokee County Elections Board for many years, is well known amd well liked in political circles.

Ballinger and Shinall matched either other with glossy mailers in the weeks leading up to the election in an intense race to capture the open seat.

Ballinger had a series of robocalls from well-known local leaders including Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood, law enforcement professional Frank Reynolds, who is said to be eyeing a run to succeed Sheriff Roger Garrison in four years, and Steve Sandridge, known as the Bug Man for his ownership of Bug Busters pest control company.

The newly elected representative also beat out businessman Harold Welchel, 50, and Tea Party favorite Dean Sheridan, 49, for the position.

***ANOTHER RACE that appeared headed to a runoff was the three-way battle for tax commissioner between Sonya Little, Kenny Phelps and Robert Wade Wilkie.

But Little, who had served in the job since 2011 when then Tax Commissioner David Fields resigned, walked away easily with the win.

***MOST OF THE FUROR during the last few days leading up to the election, though, centered around the public versus charter school debate and the candidates lined up in each camp.

The match-up between the two sides ended with one candidate from the pro-charter school camp and two from the public school side of the debate proving victorious.

Two of the races were squeakers, with former school teacher Patsy Jordan, the pro-public school choice edging past incumbent Kim Cochran to take the District 2 seat and Kelly Marlow, a charter mom, winning by a 25-vote margin over Kyla Cromer, Sixes Elementary PTA mom.

And displaced School Board Vice Chair Janet Read eased past Danny Dukes, a leader in charter school circles, to take the race for school board chair.

Two of the Tribune columnists, Marguerite Cline, former school superintendent, and Donald Conkey, got in on the fray expressing their opinions on the issues and candidates.

That set off an explosion of letters and calls about whose facts were wrong, which side had it right and who was telling the truth, with accusations flying via email from both sides.

Truth is, columnists are published on the editorial page of the newspaper, and they are giving their opinions, not writing a facts-based news story.

And while nothing written here should ever fall into the libelous or slanderous categories, there are sometimes many sides to the truth.

The fact is that the legislators appointed a 13-member Blue Ribbon committee to come up with a plan on how board of education members should be elected.

The fact is that the Blue Ribbon committee first decided to make no changes, but was sent back to the drawing board with instructions to come up with a better plan.

It is also fact that Read and Mike Chapman were drawn out of their districts.

But it is only opinion, and maybe a little conjecture, that those were the changes legislators wanted.

It is only opinion as to whether this was done to punish Read and Chapman for their stand on charter schools, and it is opinion whether or not true public input was received in making the decisions on redistricting.

It is also opinion as to how the changes impact the right people have for one person, one vote.

Complicated? Absolutely.

But one indisputable fact is that letters and accusations have been flying thicker than arrows in a Robin Hood movie.

The debate has had both sides still seeing red, although things are simmering down now.

And it could be fact, or maybe just opinion, that it is time to move forward in a spirit of cooperation.

Rebecca Johnston is managing editor of The Cherokee Tribune.