After initially having thousands of voters on its challenge list, City of Winder officials learned Tuesday night only 182 voters were removed from the list of those eligible to vote locally.
The Barrow County Board of Elections & Registration removed 58 Winder voters whose letter was returned to the elections office marked undeliverable with no forwarding address or with a forwarding address outside the county.
Another 124 Winder voters were removed after not responding to the mailed hearing letter.
[Full Story »]
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Winder mayor's race finance reports for Sept.
Winder City Councilman David Maynard in September raised more money for his mayoral campaign than Mayor Chip Thompson.
But most of the $3,050 in contributions to Maynard’s campaign came from entities related to his brother, Jerry Maynard, or from entities related to Wayne Bartlett, another one of the owners of Maynard & Bartlett Realty Group.
All total, David Maynard’s campaign collected $3,050 in cash donations, including $630 that the candidate contributed to cover his qualifying fee.
Of the remaining $2,370 in contributions, Jerry Maynard contributed $1,250 through various companies he owns in Barrow County.
Wayne Bartlett contributed another $500 through two of his Winder companies, and Susan Bartlett contributed $250 in her name.
Richard Combs of Braselton, who is in business with Wayne Bartlett, contributed another $250 in his name.
The other contributors included Dr. Dwight Austin of Winder, who contributed $100 to the campaign; UV Superstore Inc., $250; and Kidz Academy, $200.
Thompson’s campaign during the month took in $1,650 in donations over $100.
His contributors were Jack Dickens and Elaine Dickens of Winder, who each donated $500; attorney John Russell, who donated $250; and Dewey White, who gave $400.
As of Sept. 30, Maynard had spent $273 on newspaper advertising; $1,605 on yard signs; and $350 on a campaign web site.
THOMPSON’S CAMPAIGN
Thompson’s campaign during the month took in $1,650 in major donations and $450 in small donations, for a total of $2,100.
His major contributors were Jack and Elaine Dickens of Winder, who together contributed $1,000; attorney John Russell, $250; and developer Dewey White, $400.
The mayor used $630 of the first month’s contributions to cover his $630 qualifying fee. He spent another $476 on advertising and paid $60 for other small campaign costs. His Sept. 30 Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report did not include any expenditures for campaign signs.
But most of the $3,050 in contributions to Maynard’s campaign came from entities related to his brother, Jerry Maynard, or from entities related to Wayne Bartlett, another one of the owners of Maynard & Bartlett Realty Group.
All total, David Maynard’s campaign collected $3,050 in cash donations, including $630 that the candidate contributed to cover his qualifying fee.
Of the remaining $2,370 in contributions, Jerry Maynard contributed $1,250 through various companies he owns in Barrow County.
Wayne Bartlett contributed another $500 through two of his Winder companies, and Susan Bartlett contributed $250 in her name.
Richard Combs of Braselton, who is in business with Wayne Bartlett, contributed another $250 in his name.
The other contributors included Dr. Dwight Austin of Winder, who contributed $100 to the campaign; UV Superstore Inc., $250; and Kidz Academy, $200.
Thompson’s campaign during the month took in $1,650 in donations over $100.
His contributors were Jack Dickens and Elaine Dickens of Winder, who each donated $500; attorney John Russell, who donated $250; and Dewey White, who gave $400.
As of Sept. 30, Maynard had spent $273 on newspaper advertising; $1,605 on yard signs; and $350 on a campaign web site.
THOMPSON’S CAMPAIGN
Thompson’s campaign during the month took in $1,650 in major donations and $450 in small donations, for a total of $2,100.
His major contributors were Jack and Elaine Dickens of Winder, who together contributed $1,000; attorney John Russell, $250; and developer Dewey White, $400.
The mayor used $630 of the first month’s contributions to cover his $630 qualifying fee. He spent another $476 on advertising and paid $60 for other small campaign costs. His Sept. 30 Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report did not include any expenditures for campaign signs.
Judge upholds elections board decision on Eberhart
Superior Court Judge Joseph Booth on Friday morning upheld the Oct. 4 decision of the Barrow County Board of Elections & Registration to affirm the residency of Winder City Councilman Charlie Eberhart.
At the end of an hour-long hearing on the appeal filed by Eberhart’s political opponent, Jim Cooley, the judge said there is “ample evidence” to support the soundness of the board’s decision, and he said the court “will not substitute its judgment for the board of elections…”
Little actual evidence was presented at the hearing in Barrow County Superior Court. The judge spent about 10 minutes going through the “unofficial minutes” of the BOE’s earlier hearing and spent most of the rest of the hour listening to arguments about several motions made by Eberhart’s attorney, Lauren Ellison.
She asked the court to dismiss Cooley’s claim because he had not followed the correct legal procedure in filing his appeal. She also asked the court to dismiss any claim that Eberhart should be taken off the Nov. 8 ballot, and she asked that the board of elections be named a party to the action. Then she presented a fourth motion asking the judge to throw out all of Cooley’s evidence, because he had not laid the proper legal foundation for introducing it.
Cooley, who argued his own appeal, said he had followed the instructions of the BOE’s attorney about where to appeal the board’s decision. [Full Story »]
At the end of an hour-long hearing on the appeal filed by Eberhart’s political opponent, Jim Cooley, the judge said there is “ample evidence” to support the soundness of the board’s decision, and he said the court “will not substitute its judgment for the board of elections…”
Little actual evidence was presented at the hearing in Barrow County Superior Court. The judge spent about 10 minutes going through the “unofficial minutes” of the BOE’s earlier hearing and spent most of the rest of the hour listening to arguments about several motions made by Eberhart’s attorney, Lauren Ellison.
She asked the court to dismiss Cooley’s claim because he had not followed the correct legal procedure in filing his appeal. She also asked the court to dismiss any claim that Eberhart should be taken off the Nov. 8 ballot, and she asked that the board of elections be named a party to the action. Then she presented a fourth motion asking the judge to throw out all of Cooley’s evidence, because he had not laid the proper legal foundation for introducing it.
Cooley, who argued his own appeal, said he had followed the instructions of the BOE’s attorney about where to appeal the board’s decision. [Full Story »]
Cooley-Eberhart hearing set Friday
Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff has recused himself from hearing the appeal of the Barrow County Board of Elections’ recent affirmation of the city residency of Winder City Councilman Charlie F. Eberhart.
Instead, Judge Joseph Booth will hear the appeal 10 days earlier than previously scheduled. The hearing will start at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the Barrow County Criminal Justice Center off Barrow Park Drive.
Jim Cooley, who is challenging not only Eberhart’s residency, but also his reelection to the Ward 2 seat on Nov. 8, filed the appeal of the election board’s Oct. 4 decision in the long-time city councilman’s favor.
Instead, Judge Joseph Booth will hear the appeal 10 days earlier than previously scheduled. The hearing will start at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the Barrow County Criminal Justice Center off Barrow Park Drive.
Jim Cooley, who is challenging not only Eberhart’s residency, but also his reelection to the Ward 2 seat on Nov. 8, filed the appeal of the election board’s Oct. 4 decision in the long-time city councilman’s favor.
Airport authority discusses noise complaints
Citing noise complaints and safety concerns, Barrow County Airport Authority member Quinn Born proposed Tuesday night changing the suggested flight patterns at the airport to avoid flying over Winder.
[Full Story »]
Winder submits just 250 challenged voter names
After three weeks of controversy over the handling of Winder's list of voters to challenge, the city today submitted only 250 names. That is only a small fraction of the 3,000 names it had planned to challenge before a public outcry forced officials to reconsider the city's purge process, a process that had led to a number of errors.
The city got the list of registered voters earlier this week and working with both city employees and an outside consultant, went through the names to get the final number of 250.
The voter challenge list was due back to county officials Oct. 14. The 250 challenge voters will now get a letter from the county notifying them that their voting status has been challenged. Those on the list who do show up to vote on Nov. 8 will have to vote a provisional ballot.
Meanwhile in Bethlehem, the city submitted one voter name to be challenged.
For the list of names being challenged, click on this link to jump to the full list. [Full Story »]
The city got the list of registered voters earlier this week and working with both city employees and an outside consultant, went through the names to get the final number of 250.
The voter challenge list was due back to county officials Oct. 14. The 250 challenge voters will now get a letter from the county notifying them that their voting status has been challenged. Those on the list who do show up to vote on Nov. 8 will have to vote a provisional ballot.
Meanwhile in Bethlehem, the city submitted one voter name to be challenged.
For the list of names being challenged, click on this link to jump to the full list. [Full Story »]
Mingledorff recuses himself from Eberhart-Cooley hearing
Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff has decided to recuse himself from hearing Jim Cooley's appeal of a Barrow County Board of Elections decision that affirmed Winder City Council member Charlie Eberhart's city residency.
A spokesperson said the judge decided to step back because he is the judge assigned to Barrow County. Instead the appeal will be heard by Judge Joseph Booth.
The hearing will not be held on Oct. 31 as previously scheduled but rather on Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Barrow County Superior Court.
A spokesperson said the judge decided to step back because he is the judge assigned to Barrow County. Instead the appeal will be heard by Judge Joseph Booth.
The hearing will not be held on Oct. 31 as previously scheduled but rather on Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Barrow County Superior Court.
Cooley appeals Eberhart’s residency decision
Eight days before their Nov. 8 municipal election, Winder City Councilman Charlie F. Eberhart and his political opponent, James R. Cooley, will square off a second time over the validity of the long-time councilman’s city residency.
The Barrow County Board of Elections voted Oct. 4 to validated Eberhart’s funeral home at 131 King St. as his place of residence in Winder. That makes him eligible both to vote and to hold office in the city and in Barrow County.
But on Oct. 6, Cooley appealed the decision to Barrow County Superior Court and the hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 31 in the courtroom of Judge Currie Mingledorff.
The Barrow County Board of Elections voted Oct. 4 to validated Eberhart’s funeral home at 131 King St. as his place of residence in Winder. That makes him eligible both to vote and to hold office in the city and in Barrow County.
But on Oct. 6, Cooley appealed the decision to Barrow County Superior Court and the hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 31 in the courtroom of Judge Currie Mingledorff.
BREAKING NEWS: Solution to Winder's voter-list debacle in the works; list of 2,900 names to be 'significantly reduced'
A solution to Winder’s voter-list debacle appears to be in the works.
Mayor Chip Thompson on Oct. 6 asked consultant and former city administrator Ernie Graham for his suggestions, and Graham on Friday submitted his written recommendations.
He recommended that the mayor float his ideas among members of the Winder City Council as well as to county and state elections officials. A member of the city council provided the Barrow Journal with a copy of the recommendations.
In his Oct. 7 memo, Graham expressed concern about the city making a large number of challenges to the registrations of Winder voters this close to the Nov. 8 election.
“I am concerned that a large number of challenges immediately prior to the election could cause confusion resulting in voters staying home, when in reality they may have been able to vote a regular or provisional ballot,” Graham wrote. “No process is perfect but in a limited time setting if we err, we should err on the side of the voter.”
He suggested that when city officials receive from the county elections office the current list of registered Winder voters on Monday, they not challenge any voter “just because their name is not on our utility billing list or they have a closed or inactive account.”
He said at this point the city needs additional documentation that “at least suggests the voter no longer resides in Winder.”
The additional documentation might include:
• A closed account with a forwarding address outside the city limits that is “provided by the customer.”
• Or a returned voter registration card that could not be forwarded and is “at an address that also has a closed or inactive account or no account at all.” [Full Story »]
Mayor Chip Thompson on Oct. 6 asked consultant and former city administrator Ernie Graham for his suggestions, and Graham on Friday submitted his written recommendations.
He recommended that the mayor float his ideas among members of the Winder City Council as well as to county and state elections officials. A member of the city council provided the Barrow Journal with a copy of the recommendations.
In his Oct. 7 memo, Graham expressed concern about the city making a large number of challenges to the registrations of Winder voters this close to the Nov. 8 election.
“I am concerned that a large number of challenges immediately prior to the election could cause confusion resulting in voters staying home, when in reality they may have been able to vote a regular or provisional ballot,” Graham wrote. “No process is perfect but in a limited time setting if we err, we should err on the side of the voter.”
He suggested that when city officials receive from the county elections office the current list of registered Winder voters on Monday, they not challenge any voter “just because their name is not on our utility billing list or they have a closed or inactive account.”
He said at this point the city needs additional documentation that “at least suggests the voter no longer resides in Winder.”
The additional documentation might include:
• A closed account with a forwarding address outside the city limits that is “provided by the customer.”
• Or a returned voter registration card that could not be forwarded and is “at an address that also has a closed or inactive account or no account at all.” [Full Story »]
Dixon asks for answers on voting issue; Wall admits she knew ‘something wasn’t right’
The Barrow Journal’s publication of the first 2,000 names of city voters likely to be challenged created a political firestorm last week, with phones reportedly ringing off the hook at city, county and state elections offices.
Winder elections superintendent Sabrina Wall and other Winder leaders subsequently complained that the newspaper had given the public “misguided” information.
At Monday night’s city council meeting, councilman Bob Dixon noted the confusion over the issue and requested answers. Dixon said he “applauded” the Journal for bringing the issue to light and he strongly questioned why no one in city hall had told the council that there was a problem with this year’s purging of the voter list. He said whatever system the city’s election superintendent had used to challenge voter registrations was “broken.”
“It’s not working,” he said. “It’s gotta be changed. We can’t go through this every two years… When you get these (large) numbers, it’s time to go to another system.”
During the discussion Monday night, Dixon told Wall that having such a large number of proposed purges should have alerted officials that there was a problem.
“3,000 (names) should have sent up a red flag,” he said.
“It did,” said Wall. “I said something is wrong, we need to stop and review the process. I already had a conversation with Monica (Franklin, the county elections supervisor), and we were both agreeing that something wasn’t right.”
According to emails provided to the newspaper, the original list of about 2,900 names was sent to the county elections office Sept. 12-14.
Eight days later, Wall notified Franklin that there was a problem because names like those of former county chairman Doug Garrison and his wife were mistakenly being challenged.
Wall had the city’s receptionist review the list and from Sept. 26-27 the receptionist sent back five updates to the county elections office.
However, out of the first 1,100 names reviewed by the city, fewer than 20 names of voters with challenged registrations had been removed, meaning the rest of the list was slated to be purged.
THOMPSON RESPONDS
Winder Mayor Chip Thompson, who had a hand in the purging process early on, asked Dixon what system the city should use if not the city’s water customer database.
Dixon said the city could create a form that water customers would fill out when closing their accounts, and copies could be forwarded to the elections office.
Councilman Sonny Morris asked the mayor if such a form could be created. Thompson responded: “That is worth studying and thinking about.”
But Thompson also echoed earlier statements that the problem had been caused by the Journal, not by city mishandling.
“Well, if the list had not been publicized, then it would not have been that big of an issue,” he said. [Full Story »]
Winder elections superintendent Sabrina Wall and other Winder leaders subsequently complained that the newspaper had given the public “misguided” information.
At Monday night’s city council meeting, councilman Bob Dixon noted the confusion over the issue and requested answers. Dixon said he “applauded” the Journal for bringing the issue to light and he strongly questioned why no one in city hall had told the council that there was a problem with this year’s purging of the voter list. He said whatever system the city’s election superintendent had used to challenge voter registrations was “broken.”
“It’s not working,” he said. “It’s gotta be changed. We can’t go through this every two years… When you get these (large) numbers, it’s time to go to another system.”
During the discussion Monday night, Dixon told Wall that having such a large number of proposed purges should have alerted officials that there was a problem.
“3,000 (names) should have sent up a red flag,” he said.
“It did,” said Wall. “I said something is wrong, we need to stop and review the process. I already had a conversation with Monica (Franklin, the county elections supervisor), and we were both agreeing that something wasn’t right.”
According to emails provided to the newspaper, the original list of about 2,900 names was sent to the county elections office Sept. 12-14.
Eight days later, Wall notified Franklin that there was a problem because names like those of former county chairman Doug Garrison and his wife were mistakenly being challenged.
Wall had the city’s receptionist review the list and from Sept. 26-27 the receptionist sent back five updates to the county elections office.
However, out of the first 1,100 names reviewed by the city, fewer than 20 names of voters with challenged registrations had been removed, meaning the rest of the list was slated to be purged.
THOMPSON RESPONDS
Winder Mayor Chip Thompson, who had a hand in the purging process early on, asked Dixon what system the city should use if not the city’s water customer database.
Dixon said the city could create a form that water customers would fill out when closing their accounts, and copies could be forwarded to the elections office.
Councilman Sonny Morris asked the mayor if such a form could be created. Thompson responded: “That is worth studying and thinking about.”
But Thompson also echoed earlier statements that the problem had been caused by the Journal, not by city mishandling.
“Well, if the list had not been publicized, then it would not have been that big of an issue,” he said. [Full Story »]
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