One candidate faces hearing on illegal voting accusations
Four candidates qualified for the Georgia House seat left open by the death of Speaker David Ralston.
Qualifying began Monday morning, Dec. 5, for a special election to fill the seat. The period ends Dec. 7, at 1 p.m., after publication of the Times-Courier.
Ralston’s widow Sheree Ralston, Brian K. Pritchard of the Fetch Your News website and Gilmer County Airport manager Justin Heitman put in their bids for the Georgia House District 7 seat Monday, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s website. Johnny Chastain added his name to the list as of midday Tuesday. All registered as Republicans.
The election will be held Jan. 3, 2023, with early voting beginning Dec. 12, to fill the seat which represents Gilmer, Fannin and portions of Dawson County.
A runoff, if needed, will be held on January 31, 2023.
Speaker Ralston announced he would not be seeking the Speaker position for another term on Nov. 4.
“I need to take time to address a health challenge which has arisen recently, and the House needs a Speaker who can devote the necessary time and energy to the office,” he said in a press release.
Speaker Ralston was first elected to the House in 2002 and was first elected as Speaker of the House in 2010. He was the longest currently-serving state house speaker in the country.
Ralston, 68, passed away on Nov. 16 from an “extended illness,” according to his longtime spokesman Kaleb McMichen.
Sheree Ralston announced her intentions to run for the 7th House District seat on Nov. 30.
“I’m running to complete the unfinished work of my husband, David Ralston, specifically as it relates to mental health reform and advancing and protecting the interests of Georgia’s 7th House District,” Sheree Ralston said. “David was our champion and voice at the Capitol, and, if elected, that’s what I intend to be as well.
“There is so much work that remains to be done, and I want to honor David’s life’s work and legacy. As 2 Timothy 4:7 says, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ David’s earthly race has come to a close, but the fight for Georgians is ongoing. I know his heart, and his heart was always for his constituents and his home.
“I can never express how grateful I am for this community and their support during this sad and difficult time. I thank you for your prayers and outpouring of love. In the coming days, I hope to win your support as well.”
Pritchard announced his intentions to run Nov. 28.
“The hard reality is the 7th District is no longer represented by the Speaker of the House, it’s like we have hit the reset button,” Pritchard said in a newsletter email. “This is not the time to take any chances. We need to elect someone ready to serve on day one. We can’t afford for our district to go backward, we must be prepared to go forward. That is why I’m announcing that I’m running for Georgia State House District 7.”
Pritchard faces legal issues with the state of Georgia stemming from allegations of voter fraud. A spokesperson for Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office said a notice was filed with the Office of State Administrative Hearings on Dec. 1, dealing with the allegations.
In the filing, the State Attorney General alleges Pritchard received a felony conviction in Pennsylvania in 1996, and was serving probation under this sentence until September 2011.
Court records from Allegheny County, Pa., showed Pritchard pled guilty to three charges in May 1996, including two counts of Forgery-After Writing and one charge of Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition Funds. He was ordered to pay $33,340 in restitution and $289.64 in court costs and given probation in a mitigated sentence.
It further alleges between January 2008 and November 2010, Pritchard registered to vote in Georgia while still under the felony sentence and voted in nine primary, general and special elections.
The case was referred to the Georgia Attorney General following a meeting of the Georgia State Election Board in February 2021.
A hearing was requested for Jan. 9, 2023.
“They are accusations, let’s be clear,” Pritchard said. “I have not been charged with anything.”
Pritchard said he was offered to sign a paper with no admission of guilt and pay a fine of $4,000, which he called extortion. He said he refused to pay that much.
He also questioned why the filing for the hearing was made so close to qualifying.
“As my good friend Speaker Ralston told me, there is no such thing as coincidence in politics,” Pritchard said. “I think this is all a setup.”
Heitman announced his qualifying in a Facebook post.
“Pretty huge step today for me and my family. I am officially qualified to run in the Special Election for the Georgia House District 7 seat,” he wrote. “As a veteran, it is an honor to continue to be of service to the communities and people in District 7.”
Johnny Chastain, who listed his occupation as banking, qualified just as the Times-Courier went to press. No information was available at his campaign website.
Glenn Harbison, publisher of the News-Observer in Blue Ridge, contributed reporting to this story.