THE RURAL PROGRESSIVE: (#27) Wilcox County's census figures provide clues

Wilcox County, Georgia has been historically a conservative county for countless election cycles, but there are many signs that there is a very strong progressive base.

Unfortunately, there is no local newspaper in the county. Wilcox’s legal advertisements are currently printed in Crisp County’s Cordele Dispatch newspaper.

Despite Wilcox County voting conservative, recent Census figures show a different story.  Nearly 31% of the Wilcox County lives below the poverty level. The national average is 14.7 percent.

The median income in Wilcox County is $31,000, but the national average is approximately $50,000.

Despite these sobering figures, the county has voted for Dixiecrats on the local level and  Republican representatives on the state and federal level.

Wilcox County is approximately 75 miles southeast of Macon or 30 miles east of Cordele.  

Wilcox County was created from Dooly, Irwin, and Pulaski counties on December 22, 1857.  Wilcox County was named for General Mark Wilcox, state legislator and one of the founders of the Georgia Supreme Court.

On a side note, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy back in the 1800's, spent his last night in Wilcox County, before being captured by Union troops. His capture marked the end of the Confederacy

However, the way the voting precincts are aligned, one would think there is a symbolism being used in regard to the battle of North and South in the 1800’s.

There are six voting precincts in Wilcox County: Rochelle- North, Rochelle-South, Abbeville-North, Abbeville-South, Pineville and Pitts.

The two largest cities are Abbeville and Rochelle, both are majority-minority cities. Abbeville has a 59% African-American population and Rochelle has a 52% African-American population.

However, in 2008, Wilcox voted for John McCain. The largest voting precincts are Abbeville-South and Rochelle-South with approximately 1,000 registered voters each. These locations were the most conservative and have been the difference in recent elections.

Rochelle-North voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama with 81% of the vote, but only had approximately 500 registered voters.

In Abbeville-North, Obama also won this precinct, but turnout was dramatically lower and only picked up 60 votes in this precinct on Election Day 2008.

Pineview gave Obama 48% of the vote in 2008 on Election Day. However, the town is 62% African-American according to the most recent census.

Overall, John McCain won Wilcox County with 68% of the vote.

Wilcox County has conservative representation in the Georgia House and Representative Jimmy Pruett is a legislator serving House District 144, which includes the counties of Dodge, Bleckley, and Wilcox as well as portions of Ben Hill and Pulaski counties.

Pruett ran unopposed in 2008 and 2010.

Representative Pruett had been the Administration Floor Leader to Governor Perdue.

Ross Tolleson  represents  Wilcox County as part of his State Senate 20 District seat.

Tolleson has been a Senator since 2003; first elected to House District 18 from 2002-2004, and from 2005 to the present represents Georgia Senate District 20.

Tolleson is past Vice President for Tolleson Supply Company. He was founder and on the Board of Directors of Crossroads Bank of Perry from 1986 to 1998. He is currently a tree farmer. He is also Founding Partner/Financial Adviser for UBS Shepley-Tolleson Financial Group. He is also a Financial Adviser for UBS Paine Webber.