It took almost everyone by surprise—including the Georgia Secretary of State’s office which oversees elections and especially Republicans– but the Nov. 5th state House of Representatives District 128 race has a razor-thin tally where Republican Tracy Wheeler seems to have received 13,878 votes and Democrat Mack Jackson 13,926. That’s a difference of 48 votes.
James Magazine Online on Tuesday learned of allegations (along with Republicans and the Secretary of State’s office) that the elections office in one of the counties in the district gave some voters the wrong ballot even though they resided in a different district. The newly reapportioned House district consists of voters in Baldwin, Glascock, Hancock, McDuffie, Warren, and Washington Counties.
On Wednesday a lawsuit filed by Wheeler is challenging the result, citing that administrative problems have thrown the election into question. (Unconfirmed reports say McDuffie County is being investigated for having given an undetermined number of voters the wrong ballot.)
“We share her concerns about voters who were placed in the district by mistake who were not entitled to cast votes in the election, placing the overall result in doubt. It is of the utmost importance that ONLY registered voters of any district are allowed to participate in the election for that seat. Anything short of this standard is disenfranchisement and should be remedied immediately,” reads a statement from state GOP Chairman Josh McKoon.
“The Georgia Republican Party is proud to pay some of the legal fees to ensure the voters of House District 128 are able to be assured of a free and fair election,” McKoon continued. “It is a privilege to stand with Tracy Wheeler to make sure only legal votes are counted!”
Since an election has never been held before in this newly configured district, neither political party was sure how the Nov. 5th balloting would turn out. With this court challenge, the issue goes before a judge who could conceivably determine that a new special election is warranted. If so, Republicans in the district and the state party feel they could win the district— thus adding one more Republican to the Legislature. Democrats, of course, would fight to hold on.
