A former mayoral Atlanta candidate who once sued the Fulton County elections board has become its newest member.
The Fulton County Republican Party has chosen Mary Norwood to replace William Riley, who resigned the day after Christmas citing a busy work schedule. The board is made up of five members — two picked by the GOP, two picked by the Democratic party and a chairman chosen by the County Commission.
“With the resignation of our county party stalwart and former judge, William Riley, from the Board of Elections and the ongoing investigation by the Secretary of State’s office, we had to act quickly to find someone with the high caliber of intellect and ability to effect change,” party chairman Roger Bonds said in a written statement.
A former city councilwoman, Norwood ran for mayor in 2009, losing narrowly in a runoff to Kasim Reed. Afterward, her supporters raised the issue of thousands of voters remaining on the rolls who are registered at demolished public housing buildings.
The elections board continues to grapple with that, and it’s one item that the State Election Board is expected to take up in a hearing later this month.
Norwood later tried to run for Fulton County Commission chair, but the elections board kept her off the ballot because she missed the filing deadline by more than four hours. She sued the board, but a Superior Court judge dismissed her claim.
The County Commission must vote to affirm her nomination before she formally joins the elections board.
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