Straw poll could help decide DeKalb representation
Interim DeKalb County CEO Lee May is suggesting holding a poll to help determine who should represent more than 140,000 residents in the southeastern part of the county.
May said during a Lithonia town hall meeting last week that poll could be held at public libraries, and the results could help inform county commissioners about who residents want to become their commissioner.
Those residents have lacked a representative since July 2013, when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Commissioner Lee May to serve as the county’s interim leader while suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis faces charges.
The county's remaining six commissioners have been locked in a political stalemate over five candidates nominated to serve as a temporary replacement commissioner.
A special election can’t be held to fill the seat because voters elected May as their commissioner in 2012, and he hasn’t resigned. May wants to be able to return to his commission seat if Ellis is found not guilty and retakes leadership of the county.
May said the the poll could end the deadlock and convince commissioners to finally choose a representative.
Ellis is scheduled to face a June 1 retrial on charges related to allegations that he shook down county contractors for campaign contributions.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
