Uncounted votes found in Fulton sheriff's race
Fulton County found 15 extra votes when it recounted the results of last month's sheriff's race, making for yet another inconsistency in a primary election fraught with problems.
A slew of errors has the Georgia Secretary of State's Office investigating Fulton's election processes. The county also gave some voters the wrong ballots in some races, and it certified its results more than an hour past the state's deadline.
The found votes didn't make enough difference to give the losing candidate, former Sheriff Richard Lankford, the runoff he wants. Current Sheriff Ted Jackson still won outright with 50.05 percent of the vote, according to recount results certified by the elections board on Monday.
"If you do a recount, you ought to get the same results you do the first time," Lankford said.
Of the found votes, eight went to Jackson and three to Lankford. Sam Westmoreland, the county's elections director, said the votes came from mail-in absentee ballots, some of which weren't filled out clearly enough for machines to read.
A review panel went through about 80 absentee ballots to determine voters' intent, the director said.
About the Author
Johnny Edwards, a member of the AJC’s investigative team, covers state and local government and private sector regulation.
