Alison Couch Defeats Cambrey Wood in Columbia County Commission Chair Race
Tomorrow looks like work. Tomorrow I am going to get to work,
Alison Couch said on election night after securing a decisive victory for Columbia County Commission Chair.
Republican Alison Couch defeated Democrat Cambrey Wood by tallying 54.7% of the vote, according to election results reported by WRDW/WAGT. Following her win, Couch emphasized her lifelong ties to the area and stated she intends to represent every resident regardless of how they cast their ballots.
I’m representing all citizens of Columbia County, no matter if you voted for me or voted for Ms. Wood. She fought a very hard race and worked very hard, and I commend her for that. And I will work for those who voted for her as well as every citizen in Columbia County,
Couch said.
Experience Claims and Growth Visions Clash at the Ballot Box
The race pitted Couch’s experience against Wood’s background in project management. Couch pointed to her time serving as Appling Harlem’s commissioner, her professional and legislative background, and her deep roots in the community as the primary factors that set her apart from her opponent.
Wood, a nearly 10-year Army engineer officer veteran with 25 years of infrastructure experience, centered her campaign around transparency and development oversight. Pointing to the region’s rapid growth over the past 25 years driven by military installations and incoming hospitals, Wood called for quarterly town halls within her first 90 days in office.
I think it’s transparency and development are really the two big issues here locally,
Wood said during the campaign.
Both candidates faced voters at a recent forum where they agreed that Columbia County should slow residential growth and prioritize public safety in the budget.
Balancing Property Tax Relief Against Future Data Center Development
Couch defended her votes on industrial data center proposals, noting she supported the White Oak project inside an industrial park because it yielded property tax relief while voting against a separate project situated directly across the street from a neighborhood.
Our entire goal with the data centers that are here was property tax relief. I voted yes on one of the data centers and no on the other two because that single data center did provide the funding needed for the property tax relief. Going forward, I do not see the need for any future data centers in Columbia County,
Couch said.
Couch also pointed to House Bill 439 on the ballot as a key vehicle for tax relief, explaining that the next step requires a constitutional amendment to lift an $18,000 cap to deliver full relief to homeowners.
Wood criticized the approval process for lacking transparency and advocated for a 180-day moratorium to establish stricter guardrails.
I think that $40 million a year is a pretty short-sighted and low payoff solution when you’re leaving 2 plus billion dollars on the table over the next 25 years that could have been used to offset costs for other things like capital improvement projects or road projects or safety upgrades or law enforcement equipment,
Wood said.
Candidates Clash over Zoning Density and Road Improvements
Wood advocated for a comprehensive zoning overhaul to direct density into specific areas while protecting rural character, alongside closer coordination with state and federal agencies governing regional road networks.
Couch countered that the county has already taken proactive steps on infrastructure, highlighting ongoing work at the Interstate 20 Grovetown exit, the recent completion of the Lewiston Road and Columbia Road intersection improvement, and the widening of Lewiston Road.
An important part of growth also is to be able to provide services for the residents that are joining our community,
Couch said. So responsible growth means providing sheriff’s department, providing fire services, providing quality of life projects and providing traffic infrastructure.
Board of Commissioners Seats and Homestead Exemption Referendum Results
Voters also filled seats on the Columbia County Board of Commissioners and weighed in on a local tax measure.
Republican Alex Griffin defeated Democrat Michael Jordan for the District 1 seat, capturing 63.3% of the vote. Griffin indicated he plans to focus attention on the stretch of Washington Road near Bobby Jones Expressway. Meanwhile, Democrat Samantha Rockwood defeated incumbent-seeking Republican Al Reeves to win the District 4 seat.
87% of voters approved the homestead exemption referendum asking: Shall a local homeowner’s incentive adjustment program be established for Columbia County for the purpose of reducing the tax burden upon qualified homesteads within Columbia County?
