DeKalb Commissioner Burrell Ellis and state Rep. Stan Watson both want to be DeKalb's next CEO, but they face a common enemy in the Aug. 5 runoff - low voter turnout.

For the July 15 primary in which Ellis was the top vote-getter, only 68,420 of the county's 368,805 registered voters participated in the CEO race. Ellis got 31,379 votes or 45.8 percent of those votes, and Watson came away with 17,872 or 26.1 percent.

WHO CARRIED THE PRECINCTS?

COMPLETE RESULTS FROM JULY 15 PRIMARY

The overall turnout was 23 percent. For the runoff, it is expected to be even less.

Mary Frances Weeks, a spokesperson for DeKalb Election Office, said they are predicting a 10 to 15 percent turnout on Aug. 5 which means that as few as 36,880 people could end up picking the CEO who will lead the county for the next four years.

"It's not looking real good," Weeks said. "Normally we have less people for the runoff. We don't expect a high turnout unless somebody goes out and beats the bushes."

In 2000, the last time there was a runoff in a DeKalb CEO race, only 18 percent of the county's voters returned to the polls. The importance of high voter turnout is not lost on either candidate.

Watson says he is spending his time connecting with voters to encourage them to come to the polls even though everyone's mind is trained on the Nov. 4 presidential election with Sen. Barack Obama.

"Our job is to let people understand that if you call 911, Obama is not going to answer," he said. "It is DeKalb County Public Safety. If your water is cut off and you have a young child and elderly person in your home, it is DeKalb County that has to come out. We have to paint the picture of how important local politics is."

On Monday, Ellis e-mailed voters encouraging them to come out for the runoff, which starts with early voting on July 28. He also stressed that registered voters who did not vote on July 15 can vote on Aug. 5. The only voters who are excluded are those who voted Republican in the primary.

In the next two weeks leading up to the runoff, Watson says he getting into the street and talking to people.

"I am trying to figure out why they did not come out on July 15," he said. "Our job is to get our voters back to the poll. In November we can vote for Obama. Right now the CEO race is important. We are picking the CEO for the next four years. It is very important for people to come out."

While both candidates need to lure voters back to the polls, Watson has the more difficult task.

During the primary, which had overall turnout of 23 percent, South DeKalb voters did not turn out in the numbers he needed to win.

At his voting precinct at the Wesley Chapel UMC Church, where he spent election day waving to voters, only 702 of the 2,354 voters participated in the election, and he carried the precinct with 59.8 percent of the votes.

Across the county, Ellis dominated the polls, garnering 50 to 82 percent of the votes at 82 precincts, including many in South DeKalb.

Watson got 50 percent or more votes at only three precincts. His biggest haul came at Canby Lane Elementary School, where he got 60.3 percent of the votes, and at Rainbow Elementary and Wesley Chapel UMC, where he got 50.6 and 59.8 percent of the votes.

In his traditional strongholds, he split votes with Miles and Kimbrough. On primary election night, Watson said he would seek the help of the Miles and Kimbrough in the runoff, but on Monday, he said he hadn't contacted them. He is hoping that with them out of the way, he will keep more of the Southside votes and be more competitive with Ellis.

Immediately after the primary, Ellis picked up the endorsements from the fourth and fifth-place finishers, former Sen. Steen Miles and businessman Joe Bembry. Third-place finisher Ann Kimbrough said she is not endorsing anyone in the race. Ellis also secured the endorsement of fellow commissioner Connie Stokes.

Miles said she is throwing her support behind Ellis because he understands county government and will be able to move the county forward.

"As we campaigned across the county, it became crystal clear that Burrell has a full grasp of county issues and has the county experience," she said. "He carried the day. He worked hard and under intense pressure, he conducted himself in a gentlemanly fashion and that is what we need in DeKalb County."

Bembry said that he is endorsing Ellis because he asked for his support and said he would consider some of his issues.

"I know I said I wouldn't do it [endorse] again but he assured me that he is going to address some issues that was in my platform," Bembry said. "The crime issues. I want him to take it up. He says he will consult me when it comes to the overspending issue."

Ellis said he didn't promise anything in exchange for endorsements.

"I told Joe that I would welcome his advice and counsel in this campaign and in government," he said. "I told him that I appreciate his public service and his willingness to offer himself for public service. He asked me what parts of his platform I would be willing to embrace. I would not promise anything."

In her endorsement, Stokes said that she and Ellis share many legislative priorities.

"We are committed to strengthening DeKalb neighborhoods and fighting crime throughout our community," she said. "We share the same goal of reducing domestic violence and protecting our children from exploitation."

Watson already had the support of DeKalb Commissioners Larry Johnson (District 3) and Lee May (District 5), who endorsed him prior to the primary.