The Department of Justice has effectively scuttled plans for July’s Macon-Bibb County government election.
County Attorney Virgil Adams said he’d gotten a letter Tuesday from the federal agency, which said it needs more information to consider giving its stamp of approval to elections for the new government. The agency is also seeking more information on proposed changes in school board elections.
“I don’t see how we can respond in a manner that’s going to be within the time constraints the Board of Elections has,” Adams said. After the information is received, the agency would still have 60 days to review the information or ask more questions.
Adams said he expected the scheduled July 16 election would be delayed until November. That’s ultimately a decision for the Bibb County Board of Elections, which Adams said would soon call a meeting and decide. Absentee ballots were slated to be mailed next week.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is responsible for giving “preclearance,” or permission, to changes in election law to make certain they don’t harm voting rights under the Voting Rights Act.
via Justice Department questions nix July elections | Politics | Macon.com.
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