CANTON — Controversy already has begun in the Nov. 5 special election to replace Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville) in the state Senate, with complaints brought forward this week claiming three of the six candidates are not legally qualified to run.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office is looking into complaints that candidates Dean Sheridan, Christopher G. Nesmith and Matt Laughridge are not eligible to run for the District 14 seat because of concerns raised by residents that the candidates’ qualifications might violate the state’s Constitution, Cody Whitlock, spokesman for the Secretary of State’s Office, confirmed.
Loudermilk resigned the seat last month to devote more time to his bid for U.S. Congress, clearing the way for the special election.
Dwight Pullen of Canton, Nicole Ebbeskotte of Woodstock, and Bruce Thompson of White have also thrown their names in the hat for the District 14 seat covering large portions of Cherokee and Bartow counties and a small piece of Cobb.
Just a day after qualifying for the race ended Wednesday, constituents had already started trying to thin the field of six candidates.
Canton resident Garrett Jamieson hand-delivered formal complaints to the Secretary of State’s Office on Thursday that allege Sheridan, of Woodstock, and Nesmith, of Adairsville, are not eligible to hold the office because they have unpaid tax bills.
The Constitution of the State of Georgia lays out a list of factors which could disqualify a candidate from holding office, including anyone “who is a defaulter for any federal, state, county, municipal, or school system taxes required of such officeholder or candidate if such person has been finally adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to owe those taxes.”
via Cherokee Tribune – 3 Senate candidates qualifications in question.
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