MACON COUNTY, Ga. — A Macon County sheriff candidate has been disqualified from the race for office, just one week before election day.
The county's board of elections held a meeting tonight at the Macon County Courthouse on Democratic candidate Jeffrey Canady.
A 3-2 vote by members of the board of election officially led to Canady's disqualification for the second time this election cycle.
Canady's certification with the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council — more commonly known as POST — was revoked in August 2024 after Canady pleaded guilty to a case of excessive force inside a Macon County school.
The elections board originally removed Canady from the ballot as a result, but reinstated him a few days later.
Canady appealed his certification removal.
After all Macon County judges recused themselves due to a conflict of interest, Bibb County Judge Jeffery Monroe found there was no clear error in POST's decision to not let Canady appeal.
Board of Elections supervisor Tarshea Riley addressed the courtroom before the board voted.
"If a candidate is disqualified, you cannot remove them from the ballot. The ballot has already been built ... no votes cast for this candidate will count," Riley said. "No one can stop you from voting for a candidate. If you choose to vote for a disqualified candidate that is at your own discretion."
Voters were welcome to address the board before final deliberations.
Charlie Carr already cast his vote and was disappointed by the decision.
"He qualified for the primary, he won the primary election. I don't think the board should be able to make that decision," Carr said. "I think when the judge makes that final decision, his name is on the ballot."
John Parker already cast his vote, too.
"I didn't think he needed to be here in the first place, because you should never do a child that way, no matter who you are," Parker said. "I voted for who I thought was the best candidate."
According to Riley, more than 2000 people have voted early, but Riley says votes cast for Canady won't count since he's been eliminated from the race.