Burnette Elected Suwanee Mayor

Updated Nov. 9, 2011

Jimmy Burnette, a Suwanee native and member of City Council since 1996, was elected mayor of the city Tuesday.

Burnette will succeed Dave Williams, who is leaving the office after one term. Assuming that election results are certified by the Georgia Secretary of State's office, Burnette will be sworn into office in January.

Also Tuesday, Doug Ireland was elected to City Council. He will fill the post vacated by Burnette. Sunday alcohol sales were approved by Suwanee voters, getting 75 percent of the ballots cast, city officials said. Dick Goodman was running unopposed for a full council term.

Burnette, 59, is a resident of the Old Town area and is solidly behind the changes that have come to the city since 2001.

"Let's hope for four more great years," he told supporters at a campaign gathering Tuesday. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Burnette got 65.8 percent of the votes cast for mayor, according to city officials.
Businessman Dan Pittman was the other candidate.

Ireland, a self-employed businessman and Planning Commission member, received 62.9 percent of the votes cast for the council post being vacated by Burnette. Jimmy Spiro was the other candidate.

Ireland noted Tuesday that it was Mayor Pro Tem Jace Brooks who first suggested that he run for council.

A total of 1,374 ballots were cast in the election, Suwanee officials said. That's roughly 14 percent of registered voters in the city.