Runoffs were anticipated in almost all of those races because of the large number of candidates who were vying for office.
The only race in the primaries where a runoff was expected but didn't materialize was the seven-man House District 71 race, which Ron Sailor Jr. won handily.
In the CEO race, Vernon Jones, an eight-year state representative, will face off with eight-year county commissioner Ken Davis for the county's top job.
Jones got the most votes in the primary, 46 percent to Davis' 28 percent, but fell short of the minimum required to win outright.
Because Jones is African-American and Davis is white, political pundits are predicting that the race will come down to a black-white and north-south battle. Davis hopes not.
"County government should be a delivering services -- not politics," said Davis, who has been advocating pay-for-performance, economic development and protection of the county's homestead exemption.
"These issues are not black or white, north or south," he said. "These are quality of life issues."
Jones also has said the race is not about race but about leadership. He says he can provide a fresh start for the county and bring consensus to the board.
In the primaries, Jones carried the precincts in the southern parts of the county, while Davis won those on the northern side.
While turnout was low overall, South DeKalb had more voters than did the northside. Observers think this will change with the runoff.
The candidates in the other five races are hoping to ride the coattails of the CEO race.
"The CEO race is going to bring them out," said Derwin Brown, who is in a runoff with incumbent sheriff Sidney Dorsey.
The candidates for commission races are hoping to ride the wave of the big three races -- CEO, sheriff and clerk of Superior Court.
"Because we have so many important contested races I am hoping turnout will be larger than normal," said Hank Johnson, who is in a runoff with Teresa Greene-Johnson for the District 5 Commission seat.
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