Two Bryan County Sheriff candidates have hopes of winning the Republican nomination in the July 31 primary.
Incumbent Sheriff Clyde Smith is being challenged by Glenn Christian of Pembroke.
Smith has been in law enforcement since 1966 and has served as the sheriff of Bryan County since 1994.
Christian has served 20 years with numerous area law enforcement agencies and has owned his own investigation business for 15 years.
Both want to serve the residents of Bryan County as sheriff and continue their careers in law enforcement.
Early voting for the July 31 primary is under way from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday through July 27 at the Bryan County Courthouse in Pembroke and the County Administrative Complex in South Bryan. Polls will also be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 21.

Glenn Christian
Bryan County Sheriff
Age: 52
Contact: Pembroke, 313-7299; glenn@coastal-investigations.com or www.christian4sheriff.com
Family: Proud parent of Tiffany Christian, 26, of Savannah, Grant, 15, and Laine Christian, 13, of Pembroke; son of Leon and Jo Ann Fortner of Blitchton, and Gene and Shirley Christian of Waycross; brother of Cecile and Rick Stastny of Guyton and the late Leon Fortner Jr. of Ellabell; nephew of Butch and Irene Christian of Richmond Hill and Bobby and Margaret Phillips of Blitchon.
Work experience: Four years at Savannah Police Department; three years at Chatham County Police Department; two years at Effingham County Sheriff’s Department; 11 years at Bryan County Sheriff’s Department; 15 years as owner and chief investigator of Coastal Investigations.
Education background: 1978 graduate of Ware County High School, Waycross; 1981 graduate of Armstrong Atlantic State University Police Academy, Savannah; 1989 graduate of Emory University School of Animal Science, Atlanta; 2012 National Instructor Certification Project Alert, Los Angeles.
Civic activities: Active member of Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators; active member of National Council of Investigative and Security Services; honorary member of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association; active member of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association; coach of the Bryan County 4H Shotgun Competition Team; executive board member of the Bryan County Drug Free Coalition; instructor for the Project Alert Program; active in the Bryan County School system serving on school councils.

Clyde R. Smith
Bryan County Sheriff
Age: 68
Contact: 651 Wild Acres Drive, Richmond Hill.
Family: Wife, two daughters, two step-sons, seven grandchildren.
Work experience: Began law enforcement career in 1966; elected Bryan County Sheriff in 1994.
Education background: Graduate of Richmond Hill High School; numerous law enforcement-related classes and schools.
Civic activities: Not a member of any clubs.

See the completed surveys in the July 18 edition of the News.