Hall County Commissioner Ashley Bell went down to defeat in Tuesday's Republican primary, losing his District 4 seat to challenger Jeff Stowe.

Bell, who won the seat as a Democrat but switched to the Republican party in mid term, was losing to Stowe 58 percent to 42 percent with only absentee ballots left to count in Hall County.

Voters also rejected the 1 percent transportation sales tax Tuesday across the 13-county Georgia Mountains Region, with three-quarters of voters opposed.

In the race for the new 9th District House seat, state Rep. Doug Collins held a narrow lead over radio talk show host Martha Zoller, with only about 500 votes separating them. The two appear headed to an Aug. 21 runoff for the new congressional seat, with the winner to face Democrat Jody Cooley in November. 

In Hall County, it appears Gerald Couch and Jeff Strickland are headed to a runoff for sheriff in a close race.

On the Board of Commissioners, Dick Mecum and incumbent Tom Oliver seem headed to a runoff for the chairman's post. District 2 incumbent Billy Powell held a slim lead over challenger Eugene Moon.

Races for probate judge and tax commissioner appear too close to call, with runoffs certain in both races.

Craig Herrington leads Paul Godfrey in a bid to keep his Board of Education post.

Also contested is the new state House seat that reaches into South Hall, with Timothy Barr holding a steady lead over Ken Russell.

Here are the latest results in key local races; all races are among Republicans:

Transportation sales tax
Ga. Mountains Region
Yes, 25%
No, 75%

US House, 9th District
Doug Collins, 41.7%
Roger Fitzpatrick, 17.1%
Martha Zoller, 41.2%

Hall County
Sheriff
Gerald Couch, 31.5%
Chuck Hewett, 4.2%
John Sisk, 2.3%
Jeff Strickland, 33.2%
Jon P. Strickland, 28.8%

Board of Commissioners
Chairman
Steve Gailey, 19.5%
Dick Mecum, 46.3%
Tom Oliver, 34.3%

Post 2
Eugene Moon, 48.6%
Billy Powell, 51.4%

Post 4
Ashley Bell, 41.9%
Jeff Stowe, 58.1%

Probate Judge
Susan Brown, 24.4%
Brook Davidson, 25.9%
Patty Walters Laine, 31.1%
Lisa Maniscalco, 18.6%

Tax Commissioner
Brad Dunagan, 17.2%
Darla Eden, 38.7%
Kent Henderson, 22.7%
Charles Lewis, 21.4%

Board of Education
Post 3
Paul Wayne Godfrey, 43.7%
Craig Herrington, 56.3%

State House, District 103
Timothy Barr, 56.9%
Ken Russell, 43.1%