MACON, Ga. — There are still six candidates in the race for Bibb County sheriff. The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections did not vote Wednesday to remove two candidates for allegedly not filing key paperwork in time.
Instead, they delayed the hearing. Last week, the board's attorney, William Noland, sent Marshall Hughes and Ron Rodgers letters saying they didn't go to Macon-Bibb Probate Court to get finger-printed. According to court documents, the pair did get those completed about 10 days late.
The meeting started like this, as Chairman Joel Hazzard explained a motion to postpone Rodgers' hearing: "'Yes' says we will postpone. 'Nay' says we will not postpone. All in favor, say 'I.' All opposed?"
The board voted unanimously to push his hearing back because Noland said Rodgers was stuck in Baltimore on a school trip. Then came another motion.
"We likewise move to postpone or continue this for a brief period," Hughes' attorney, Joseph Siegelman, said to the board.
Siegelman wants more time to request county records to build up Hughes' case.
"Which will give us an opportunity to present to the board a full and complete record. All we're asking for for Mr. Hughes is that he receive a full and fair hearing. At which time, I think the board will determine that he legally should be entitled to remain on the ballot," Siegelman explained.
He also wants a court reporter present for the hearing to document what happens. They weren't able to get anyone Wednesday.
After Siegelman asked for the hearing to get pushed back, the board had to decide how to move forward.
"Depending on our decision, which I don't know what that is, have the right to appeal to the Superior Court. And I need to leave time, we need to leave time, everybody needs to leave time for that," Vice Chair Mike Kaplan said.
The board also worried about leaving enough time to print ballots, but in the end, they decided to postpone the hearing without setting a new date. Early voting starts April 29.
It's not clear when the new hearing will happen, but Noland told the board Rodgers' attorney is out of town all next week.