Georgia: Former Trade Center director booted from commission race
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
DALTON, Ga. — On May 2, the deadline for candidates to qualify for Georgia primary elections, a delayed flight stranded Rick Tanner in Chicago and kept him from delivering his notice of candidacy.
So, the former Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center director enlisted an “agent” to deliver his papers and get him in the race for Whitfield County Commission chairman in the Republican primary.
But that agent, Gary Chapman, attempted to turn in an affidavit that Mr. Tanner hadn’t signed.
Whitfield County Republican Party member Chuck Payne contested Mr. Tanner’s candidacy. On Friday, the Board of Elections officially disqualified him.
The only candidate left in the GOP race is former chairman Mike Babb.
“It was a raw deal,” said Mr. Tanner. “They had their candidate. They didn’t want any competition for him.”
But Mr. Payne, second vice chairman of the Whitfield County Republican Party, denied he was trying to limit competition.
“Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a stickler for dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s,” he said.
Board of Elections Chairman Sam Little said the decision to disqualify Mr. Tanner was based on rules, not politics.
“I always hate to see a candidate not be qualified,” Mr. Little said, but, “there are rules and rules that must be followed.”
Elections supervisor Kay Staten said Mr. Tanner could have used a proxy if he had signed the affidavit in advance. “If he went ahead and filled out his paperwork,” she said, “the agent could have turned it in for him.”
Ms. Staten added, “It’s going to be a long, hot summer, with all this politicking.”
This controversy comes just two months after Mr. Tanner’s sudden, unexplained resignation from the Trade Center.
“I know that certain board members felt like it was time for a change,” he said.
Mr. Tanner initially said he planned to leave Whitfield County to find a new job. Then his name came up as a possible candidate for commission chairman, and he said he was considering several job opportunities here.
Now that he’s disqualified, Mr. Tanner said he’ll look into more lucrative jobs elsewhere.
“It was kind of the one thing I was hanging my hat on as a reason to stay here,” he said about running for elected office.
