Is there any possible way that 2011 can top 2010 for political excitement? Nope! From the GOP takeover of the U.S. House and ouster of Nancy Pelosi as speaker to the brutal Georgia Republican primary that gave us Nathan Deal as our new governor, 2010 was a political classic.

However, even though this is an “off cycle” year, it doesn’t mean that nothing will be going on. While Georgia Department of Transportation board elections aren’t sexy and reapportionment can be as boring as reading "Calculus For Dummies," we would all be wise to pay attention.

Here in good old Bartow County, the only local elections in 2011 will involve a few low-profile municipal offices. Nevertheless, the rumor mill is already churning with names of who might enter the race to replace retiring Bartow County Commissioner Clarence Brown in 2012.

In 1991, then Bartow commissioner Frank Moore passed away after valiantly battling a brain tumor and a number of high-profile folks jumped into the special election fray to fill that seat. Brown finally came out on top and will have just more than 21 years in the executive office when his current term finishes at the end of next year.

Now in 2007, Brown publicly stated he would not run for re-election in 2008, yet changed his mind and waltzed back into office. Could he change his mind again? Maybe, but I think Commissioner Brown is ready to retire and I’m sure his wife Carol is ready for him to come home. Most would say Clarence has done a good job and it’s nice to leave on a high note.

Now, I won’t throw fuel on the fire by naming names of who might be eyeing Brown’s parking space down at the county administrative building, but let’s just say if he really retires this time there could be a boatload of folks interested in the job. I’m not above throwing out a few hints though. There are some former elected officials and some current ones who are being named as potential candidates, as well as a couple of prominent business people.

Bartow County’s population has swelled to more than 96,000 residents per the just-released 2010 Census and someone with a few connections and deep pockets could make a serious run. There are also a couple of strong networks around the county, that if both got behind the same candidate they might push him or her over the top. Otherwise, this could be a wide-open race that might come down to a runoff choice between a “county” candidate and a “city” candidate. By “city,” I mean someone backed by the powers that be in the city of Cartersville.

Bartow County voters very seldom boot out one of their sitting countywide office holders, and unless some scandal breaks I don’t really see any of our 2012 incumbents as being that vulnerable. There is talk that District Attorney Joe Campbell might retire. Newly elected State Rep. Christian Coomer came within a razor’s edge of defeating Campbell in 2008. Whether Coomer would give up his new legislative gig for a chance at a fulltime position as DA remains to be seen, although the territory covered by his State House district after reapportionment this year might help make up his mind. 

And speaking of reapportionment and DOT Board elections … well, that sounds like a topic for a future column. Bartow County could see some significant changes on both fronts, and I guarantee I can make it more interesting than "Calculus For Dummies!"

Follow me on Twitter @chuckshiflett and also check out my statewide columns at The Backroom Report.