Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Wednesday disqualified Daniel Blackman from running for a metro Atlanta district seat on the Public Service Commission.
The decision came one day after an administrative law judge ruled the Democrat did not provide enough evidence to show he lived in District 3, which represents Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties.
Commissioners are elected statewide, but they must reside in one of five geographic districts. Candidates must live in their district for at least 12 months before they are eligible to run in that jurisdiction.
Voting history data from the Secretary of State‘s Office shows Blackman voted in Forsyth County on Nov. 5, one month after he said he moved to Fulton.
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Blackman, a former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator, changed his voter registration address to a Midtown Atlanta apartment in April, the last day to qualify for the race.
The disqualification comes a day after early voting for the June 17 Democratic primary began. Raffensperger’s decision means voters will choose from three Democrats vying for the party nomination:Peter Hubbard, Robert Jones, and Keisha Sean Waites, a former Atlanta City Council member and former state representative.
The disqualified candidate’s residency was challenged by Atlanta resident Rodney Stephens, who in 2022 bought a house from Waites, according to Fulton County property records.
The Democrat who wins the party nomination will run against Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in November.
Blackman could appeal the ruling, and said Tuesday he was reviewing all legal options.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
