Concerns about last week’s riots at the Capitol and a fair runoff process following the election of two new U.S. senators representing Georgia are carrying over into Johns Creek government.
Johns Creek approved qualifying fees for the city’s 2021 election during a Monday meeting but it passed one vote short of unanimous due to disagreement over the schedule for a potential runoff.
Four seats now held by Mayor Mike Bodker and City Council members Stephanie Endres, John Bradberry and Lenny Zaprowski will be on the Nov. 2 ballot. A runoff election would be held Nov. 30 if there is no winner of the majority of votes.
Endres said a 28-day runoff period is not enough time for military service personnel overseas to receive and return ballots. The runoff period is set at the Fulton County level.
“I’m not going to support this because if everyone can’t vote then we are not truly following the law,” Endres said. “It’s time that - we’re a country of laws – that those laws start adhering to all the people.”
Endres said that with disagreement over votes being counted accurately in the 2020 General Election, residents should get involved in the process, dig into details by following paper trails and volunteer to be poll watchers.
“There are problems in the election process,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, adding that people should get involved regardless of political party.
Before Monday’s vote Bradberry said given the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol in Washington D.C., it’s important that government find a way to be less partisan.
“We’ve got to find any ways that we can to open up the political process, make it most fair and make it where it is less at each others’ throats,” he said.
City Council set the qualifying period of Aug. 16-18 for candidates to submit forms of their intention to run for office. Qualifying fees of $450 for City Council positions and $750 for mayor were approved.
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