Hitt wins, Norwood advances to November general election

By By Penny Randall / staff writer
Aug. 6, 2003
Craig Hitt arrived at Howard Johnson's Convention Center about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and looked much more relaxed than he had a few hours earlier.
Just after lunch on Tuesday, Hitt had stood in the parking lot of Northcrest Baptist Church on North Hills Street, polling place for the second largest of eight precincts in District 3. Under a sprinkling rain, he clutched an umbrella in one hand and a sign that read "Craig Hitt for Supervisor District 3" in the other.
He was there to check on voter turnout and to let people see his face one more time before casting their ballot.
While Hitt, 42, was being congratulated by fellow supervisors and other public officials, Buchanan was at home.
This was Buchanan's first time to run for office and said it also was his last.
In his next four-year term, Hitt said he will focus on getting water and sewerage to the new Interstate 20/59 Industrial Park.
Meanwhile, incumbent Joe Norwood also experienced a good night in the 2003 party primaries. He won the District 4 Democratic primary with 729 votes to Ricky Harris' 370 votes.
Norwood will advance to the Nov. 4 general election to face Cedric E. Parks, Harry R. Routt and Susie Vandevender all Independents.
Norwood said his top priorities were getting rid of the abandoned houses and working with the city to develop a new drainage system to prevent flooding that recently affected residents of his district.
Norwood said he was excited to win the primary but disappointed in the numbers of voters who went to the polls.
BY THE NUMBERS
District 3 supervisor
Craig Hitt 2,809
Bobby G. Buchanan 855
Write-In 2
District 4 supervisor
Joe Norwood 729
Ricky Harris 370
Write-In 3