Fulton County’s elections department, under close scrutiny after an array of problems in the July primary, has hired retired Forsyth County elections director Gary Smith to help its staff run a smooth presidential election next month. The Board of Registration and Elections hired Smith as a consultant on Thursday at a rate of $42 per hour.
He starts work on Friday, four days after the start of early voting. Interim Director Sharon Mitchell said he will work up to 40 hours per week for a maximum of nine weeks, meaning the position could cost the county more than $15,000. Board members have said the money will come from unfilled positions, including former Director Sam Westmoreland’s currently unused $105,000 salary.
Westmoreland resigned last month after landing in jail for failing to follow probation terms from a 2009 DUI arrest, prompting the board to look for outside expertise.
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