A new election for Fulton County Commission chairman would cost taxpayers up to $2 million at a time when the county is struggling to balance its budget.
Commissioner Robb Pitts, who narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for chairman to incumbent John Eaves, has asked a Superior Court judge to order the new election, saying a poorly designed ballot suppressed voter turnout in the race. Pitts has asked for the election to be held July 22, when the cost would be minimal because Fulton is already holding a runoff election for various races.
But Election Director Richard Barron said this week it’s too late to schedule a new chairman’s election for July 22. He said the county already has begun mailing absentee ballots for the runoff election that don’t include the chairman’s race. Early voting for the runoff is set to begin June 30, and the voting machines that will be used have already been tested “with the ballot as-is,” Barron said.
If a judge ultimately decides to order a new election it would cost $1.5 million to $2 million to hold it on a different date, Barron said. That’s money he said Fulton has not budgeted.
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