Norcross candidate, who lost by 1, wants recount

A Norcross City Council candidate has asked for a recount of Tuesday’s runoff election results because she believes the wrong process was used in determiningg the fate of a questionable ballot.

Michelle Crofton lost by one vote to Ross Kaul, 399-398, when City Attorney Pat O’Brien ruled a questionable ballot be marked in favor of Kaul. However, Peter Crofton, Michelle Crofton’s husband, contends O’Brien was the wrong person to make that call.

“Under Georgia law, when there’s a ballot that has a question, the decision has to be made by elections officials themselves, not the city attorney,” said Peter Crofton, who’s also an attorney.

Michelle Crofton wasn’t available for comment. City Clerk Susan Wuerzner confirmed receiving the appeal about 3 p.m. Friday.

Wuerzner called the Secretary of State’s office Tuesday to get guidance on how to proceed in interpreting a ballot. She was directed to the city attorney.

The office “pointed them in the wrong direction,” Peter Crofton said.

Wuerzner said she will meet with O’Brien, the Croftons, Kaul and a Kaul representative Monday morning, “so we’re clear on what [the Croftons] want.”

Wuerzner said a recount will be done once discrepancies in the Croftons’ request are worked out.

“They did not quote the election code correctly,” Wuerzner said. “They wanted the election manager to conduct the recount, and there is no such person as an election manager, with that title,” Wuerzner said.

Wuerzner is the elections superintendent, and Meryl Wilkerson is the chief poll manager.

What’s clear, Wuerzner said, is that the Croftons don’t want Wilkerson to do the recount. “They want me to do it,” she said.

Norcross is expected to certify the race at a special called meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The Croftons are confident in Norcross officials, but “given an election that’s this close, it ought to be done right,” said Peter Crofton.