Temple mayoral race goes to court
by Spencer Crawford/Villa Rican
8 months ago | 1371 views | 9 9 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Lester Harmon has filed a challenge in Carroll County Superior Court, claiming that Temple’s Nov. 3 mayoral election should be deemed invalid due to votes allegedly cast by unqualified voters.

The challenge filed Wednesday lists Mayor Rick Ford, Elections Supervisor Patti Brown-Traylor and the Carroll County Board of Elections as defendants. Harmon, a former Temple mayor, lost his seat to Ford in 2005 and was defeated again on Nov. 3 by three votes. A recount held Tuesday confirmed the three-vote margin in Ford’s favor.

“I look at this as just a continuation of the election process,” Ford said Thursday. “While I hate to see it drag on for the citizens of Temple, I do understand that my opponent has a rig ht to challenge and we’ll just see where it takes us.”

Harmon claims in court documents that the election should be invalidated because “there was misconduct, fraud, or irregularity by an election official, which was sufficient to change or place in doubt the result of the election when election officials allowed illegal votes to be cast in such numbers as to change or place doubt the result of the election.”

Court documents also state that the Office of Carroll County Board of Elections and Registration is in possession of information regarding electors who registered, moved or filed a change of address between Aug. 8 and Oct. 4, 2009. Harmon claims to have requested this information, but alleges the board has denied inspection of the material.

Harmon further claims that on Nov. 3 illegal votes were received at the polls by at least six or more unqualified electors and then counted in the final tally. If true, regardless of who those people voted for, Harmon said it casts doubt on the outcome of the election.

“I feel more than confident that we have more than enough people (to overturn the election),” Harmon said Thursday.

Brown-Traylor said there is an ongoing investigation into Harmon’s claims to determine if anyone unqualified to vote in Temple’s mayoral election actually did so, but said no one in her office or working at the polls on election day did anything wrong.

“We have not had any improprieties on the part of any of our election-day poll workers, nor this office,” she said.

Referring to those he named in the challenge that he claims voted illegally, Harmon said he’s not out to convict anybody. Rather, he said he’s just trying to ensure that only the citizens of Temple choose the next mayor.

“I think the citizens of Villa Rica should elect their public officials, I think the citizens of Carrollton should elect their officials and therefore I think the citizens of Temple should elect their officials,” he said. “All I am trying to do is make sure that only the people of Temple, the citizens of our town, are the ones to elect their officials. If that happens, I am prepared to go back to my business and try to mind my own business.”

Though confident Carroll County Superior Court will find in his favor, Harmon would not rule out an appeal if that is not the case.

“I know that we have voters there who don’t live inside the city,” he said. “If they decide to have another election and only the people inside the city of Temple vote, and I lose, then that will be it, but I am trying to protect the people of this town’s rights and it is their constitutional right that they be the ones who choose their elected officials. They pay their taxes to the city government, therefore I think their voices are the only ones we need to hear.”

Brown-Traylor said it would be up to the court to decide whether a new election will be held. In the meantime, Ford said he plans to continue to operate in his capacity as mayor.

“Unless I’m told otherwise, I plan to proceed forward as if the election stands,” he said. “I would be negligent in my duties if I stood back and waited. We’ve got to keep moving forward with the business of the city.”

Because Temple contracts with the Carroll County Board of Elections to conduct its municipal elections, the city is responsible for funding all expenses related to doing so, including any challenges that may arise. The city was billed $5,500 for hearings held last month by the Board of Elections for separate challenges to Ford’s and Harmon’s qualifications to run for mayor. Likewise, the city will have to pay all court costs and legal fees incurred by the Board of Elections in this most recent challenge, as well as a new election if that is required by the court.

Harmon said he isn’t concerned with any backlash from voters due to the costs being incurred by the city due to the overwhelming support he said he’s received from voters.

“The people in that town who have come up to me have had overwhelming support for me to be sure to do everything in my power, everything that the law allows me to do, in order to preserve their rights to elect their officials,” he said.

No date for a hearing on the matter has yet been set.
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comments (9)
« Theblackprince wrote on Monday, Nov 16 at 11:50 PM »
You see 25 violations from your yard? Are you employed or living off taxpayers? Truth is Temple is almost broke and PD has orders form city hall to step up and bring in the $$$. Officers WILL write at least 100 citations per month or find other employment. Sorry - no more breaks for the locals. And those running around with the blue line stickers on your vehices..well we dont cut breaks for that anyway. Better not speed and have all your headlights, taillights and taglights working. Think it is a joke? Pay attention over the next few months. Blue lights everywhere as far as the eye can see, including the interstate! Officers no longer have the choice to issue a citation or warning - if you are stopped you have a 99.9 percent chance of receiving a citation - street officers dont have a problem with pro-active law enforcement but using the city pd as a revenue generator is going too far. When the blue lights are in YOUR mirror and you receive a $150.00 citation for a $2 tag light bulb not working please dont yell at the street officer for trying to keep their job -Forward your complaints to Ford, Kim Pope and Chief Whitt. While at it please ask why the PD has two administrative supervisors/Capts sitting in the office 8-5 mon thru fri while night shift officers are working alone?? How many office supervisors does this little PD need and is it worth putting street officers at risk?
« anonymous wrote on Monday, Nov 16 at 01:20 PM »
That is about the most ignorant comment ever written. You dumbass if this officer didn't write any tickets that is good for the city citizens. So you are saying you see 25 violations a day in your yard, you must have ample time to sit outside, I guess you don't have a job. What a retard. What will happen when you get the ticket? You will see. Just stay in your humble little bunker next to FORD and live it up in your foreclosed property. Why don't work for the police since you are so observant.
« HALLMONITOR wrote on Monday, Nov 16 at 12:03 PM »
Oh my...little fellow just sore looser..much like the whinning cops....the old ones...you know who...those couple left that were hired as "Harmonettes"...Ditz & Lee.....if they are such super LTs...then why did they as supervisors of underlings like Dzura notice they were not doing their jobs.....lets see someone answer why Dzura only issued less than 25tickets in a whole year....while under a supervisors watchfull eye....that punk cop cost taxpapers salary, overtime, benefits, explain how he had overtime...heck I see 25 violations a day from my yard....his LT can not explain that....and how about that 2005 election flyer that all the hoopla was about last Mayors race.....just learned two TPD officiers pulled guard duty the nite Charmin Harmon and the entire city staff stuffed envelopes....yep folks Lee AND Thompson left whole town unprotected but made sure they did as Harmon beaconed.....Lester Harmon, Waldens are all self centered, greedy people..on a personal power trip......new Chief is a joy...he is doing a great job....and his promotions are the right men for the right job...though Hollywood deserves recognition..he is awesome....I am offended that the previous blogger would once again stoop so low as to say uglies about Mayor Fords mother-in-law. She is an alzahimers (advanced) patient....shame on you..lets hope you are never in such a position..if you were a good moral person you would apologize immediately.....but doubt it...but while you are talking to harmon be sure to ask him about the 12 grand for that ballfield at Sharpes Creek that never was built...money spent...or why the city never collected permit fees under his administration...ask him too about why HE FIRED that silly Lt Acree and is now

snuggled up with him and his mom....if he wasn't good enough to keep as an employee .. why the alliance now....and about the blogger saying

Ms.Pecor should paythe 5500 cost for the challenge to Harmons qualification....her entire presentation took 15 minutes..and she gracefully accepted the voters board decision....its the Harmons and the Waldens that the taxpayers can thank....wait for the tab for Harmons bogus challenge.....and the one thing we don't inderstand is if Harmonettes cops don't like our fine new chief....how come they don't move on...might be because they are not worth a damn..maybe they should just continue to do what they have always done...protect Harmon and the barn....be his personal security officiers..cuz they suck as street cops.....I hope the Feds come on into Temple,starting with the police department.....Mayor Ford would welcme the company.....now get off our new chief....get off our Mayor...and go try to find a life....or do us all a favor....take the Waldens,ICKY, ACREE, DITZ, LEE and move on out to Harmons place...we can de-annexx Harmon road and you can all work at Harmon Family Stables....and we can call it Harmonville....but you people will not run our town again.....FREE AT LAST...FREE AT LAST....
« The1BLACKkingKobra wrote on Friday, Nov 13 at 11:41 PM »
Harmon don't give up the fight. Since the election HELL has been unleashed on City PD employees. Both Police Lieutenants are getting targeted because they were hired under your administration. One LT was forced to give up his Dodge patrol car he as driven for 2 years to the NEW Capt over Patrol because new Capt needs a better ride. NO crown vic for him! Like the PD needs another administrative supervisor doing nothing but sitting around the office mon-fri 8 to 5 while night shift officers are working the streets alone. Does anyone at Temple care about officers safety? Chief? Mayor? What about when the officer has to leave the city unattended? Guess no one cares or Carroll Co. will pick up the slack if they have a deputy in the area. Chief is bringing in his buddies from Paulding Co and putting them in high ranking positions while good veteran officers are being forced out the door because they might be friendly with Harmon or dont write 100 tickets a month. Sorry Temple citizens - the new chief has spoken and all officers working in his kingdom WILL write a BUNCH of tickets OR find other jobs. When you find yourself on the side of the road signing the yellow copy please dont take out your hate on the street officers which are just doing what the great king has ordered to keep THEIR JOBS. Voice your complaints to mayor Ford and council who put the great king in his kingdom.
« All of it is sick wrote on Friday, Nov 13 at 09:36 PM »
Days after the recount, big changes were made. Two officers, one who is not even a patrolman but an investigator and another who just got hired still on a probationary period were promoted to the rank of CAPTAIN!!!! This was approved by the Temple City Council!! More pay and fringe benefits to an already struggling city economy. All this in retaliation for grudges. You have Hollowood, Thorn, Kruayai, Lee and Aiken who were all passed up for a promotion so Chief Whitt's friend hired from Paulding County could get a raise and an investigator who does all the dirty work was granted supervision over the entire patrol unit. Seems that Aiken wasn't too happy with that; she left the police department on foot with her purse in hand. Aiken is a hometown girl guess she don't fit into Chief Whitt's plan. Hollowood is a great officer, a little hardcore at times, but he always does his job in a professional manner, been here almost three years, no promotion. Thorn here two years no promotion, Kruayai and Lee both Lieutenants been at the department almost nine years passed up. I guess Ford's plan is working. Hire Whitt, fire or force all the employees to quit who don't kiss our asses. There is no excuse for this kind of behavior. No more hometown guys and gals just croanies from other places unknown, Temple hold on tickets are in your future. Rick Ford is the poorest excuse for a human being that ever lived on the face of this earth. Ford may want to wait to fire more people until this hearing for a new election takes place. Irony will be the judge grants a new election and Harmon wins. That will be interesting. At least Harmon likes the hometown guys and gals. We may have lost the battle but the have not won the war. GOD works in mysterious ways. This maybe an omen. See Ford's true colors in action for everyone to see. You never know. Ford should be more concerned with his mother in law, but he and his ignorant wife dumped her poor soul in a retirement home on Old Bremen Road. I can see them now, poor woman probably can't even write, holding her hand putting an extra vote on the ballot for his cause. That is who desperate FORD is to win and be on top. So GODWILLING if there is a new election Temple citizens need to unite and get this socialist and his heretic wife out of their cozy life at taxpayers expense.
« anonymous wrote on Friday, Nov 13 at 08:54 PM »
Reminds me of the movie Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil, the reporter came to town to cover a Christmas party and ended up staying in town to write a book which later became a movie covering the outlandish behavior of local Savannah residents. I particularly liked the ending where the bad guy with all the power "got away with murder" But then proceeded to have a heart attack and died shortly after. I agree with one thing from the post below....what comes around does go around. But one thing confuses me..the person who wrote the comment below seems to know all the players well. They mention the Gover family, along with several other citizens by name who are not elected officials in the eyes of the courts regarding public figures. They are private citizens and not related to public figures either..what confuses me is that the person seems informed on some level but did they miss the memo regarding the fact that the Harmon's have not ONE but TWO lawyers in their immediate family?? People like the Govers and those other residents mentioned as former employees seem to me to have been targeted for their association with Lester Harmon and the fact that they disassociated themselves from the fords. Wonder how long until the private law suits start flying out this way? As for Lester being a "bitter old man" I bet he is the only former elected official or current elected official who would take himself up into that gym filled with mercury at the high school to watch the boys play. I know he never missed a game. Support for those he served was and is his legacy. I just love the fact that he has a vocabulary so much more advanced than the current mayor who only knows how to say things like "I am not familiar with that" or "I will have to check on that" or the all time favorite one "I don't recall" when asked a question. I always found humor in Harmon's responses to media questions or even the ones he use to say to Mrs. Walden back in the day. He took credit for his mistakes then and I see no evidence of where he has failed to do so now as the comment below tries to accuse him of doing.

If the person who knows so much would practice within themselves the words they preach and not sling mud as they were doing on this page or refer to the whole thing as a game with comments like.."game over folks" then maybe this town would one day move forward. Its sad though because it is a game to people like this. They play with the lives of others, its a daily soap opera that they somehow think they have a staring role in. People are sick of it. I wish some network could cancel the show. As for the article, three votes are enough reason for either candidate to challenge. If the presidential election could be challenged over the state of Fla and the voting practices in that state---then by all means this one should be if no other reason than the fact it was held in Temple GA. I also find it disgusting that the comment said the council made a ruling about not being able to work for the city again if you were a former employee and then ending with the "oops game over" comment. You mean to tell me that the elected officials are stooping so low as to use their power and position to try and determine what another Mayor might do who isn't even elected?? The Temple city council members passed something like this as a way to "win" a game? Who ever you are, you summed up the entire sorry existence of this elected body, its never about the city or the residents but always about some political maneuver as if you were children playing war games.
« anonymous wrote on Friday, Nov 13 at 05:13 PM »
Amazing how a grown man cannot accept defeat and just move on. Tell me again how old we are? 5, maybe 6? Give me a break. I think if the Gover's voted for you Mr. Harmon, then you might loose a couple more. You see they have a city address on their driver's license, but I know for a fact they live on Rainey Rd OUTSIDE the city limits! So I guess what comes around, goes around. Do you think maybe that people should have to bring their ID and a utility bill, preferably the water bill to prove they live inside the city limits? Why can't we just move on? Whatever evidence you have is probably fabricated by the former police officers, all three of them. Lets see, Brian, Charles and Robert. Otherwise known as Curly, Larry, and Mo! What? did they obtain more illegal recordings that they then edited to their own advantage on the computer? One of them not only got fired from Temple but also Hiram, one quit on his own accord without proper notice and the other fired for screwing up city property. Even the labor board found that his termination was justified. And talk about frivolous spending? How many thousands of dollars are you going to cost the city Mr. Harmon before you wake up and realize that you LOST? Hearing after hearing. Oh and lets not forget the few thousand you cost the city to have DOT survey Hwy 78 after you complained about your grandson receiving a speeding ticket a few years ago. It wasn't that the angel did anything wrong, it was the officers fault. Take some responsibility for your actions. You are costing the city dollar after dollar and yet you complain about the money wasted by Ford and his crew. But take this for what its worth. I have said this before, if by chance you do get your wish and are granted another election, why not try a more positive approach. Instead of slinging mud, and promising to fire almost all the current employees, tell us what positive things you intend to do. The only thing I got out of your campaign was that your a bitter old man that wishes to be mayor only to take revenge on those you dislike. The police chief because he fired one of your cronies, one police officer for writing your grandson a ticket, another because she is a woman, one because he is black, one because he sits by the interstate too much in your opinion and then everyone in city hall because they support Ford. Of course, who's going to do all the work when you fire all these people? Brian, Charles, Robert and Sheena can't come back because the council just made a ruling that if you have terminated or resigned without proper notice, your not eligible for re-hire. OOPS, guess you can't bring them back..... Sorry folks, game over......
« persay wrote on Thursday, Nov 12 at 09:01 PM »
Well alrighty then we the people of Temple need to forward Ms. Pecor an invoice of say $5,500 because of her sneaky little act of indecency because had she had not of tried to make those bogus allegations trying to throw out Mr Harmon's right to run for mayor than he would not have had to question Rick Fords mayoral run. Eye for an Eye folks and enjoy reeping what you sow! Harmon we support your decision to do what is justifiably right and available. I support American justice don't you?
« Yin-Yang wrote on Thursday, Nov 12 at 08:55 PM »
Since I've become a resident of Temple I have seen how this city is divided. In the beginning I heard all about the so called "Hell raisers", I sat back for over a year and listened and watched and to be honest I felt that many of the issues addressed by these so called "Hell Raisers" were very important and justifiable I think had these opinions and investigations been brought on by the current leaders of our city they would have been respected and considered important and most importantly factual as they have always been to be. I recall the many times I had conversations with our leaders in regards to our community growth and improvement these conversations would quickly become words of excuses as to why we could not move forward it was always the "Hell raisers"! We've had our election and no we will not move on.....I have seen no growth in Temple since I got here. Our children have seen no growth, where oh where are the walking trails, biking trails, parks for our elementary students? we are soon to have another elementary school open where do these kids go for their picnic lunches or safe walks with their families. There are no sidewalks. Our subdivisions were planned and approved under Mayor Harmon who required we have green space and recreation. Court records show approved plat maps that show PUD which is the abbreviation for Planned Urban Development. Mayor Rick Ford allowed the developers to come in strip the lands and walk away with no recourse. We can't change court papers we can't say that these are lies. It's factual. So would someone please tell me where the growth is not only for the city but for our children. The rec dept should not be our only offerings to our community. What about a library, game room, aquatics center or a small water play area for little ones like all the other communities. In fact the citizens of Temple pay more taxes than any other city in Carroll county. What about art programs especially because it's been taken out of our failing schools. These community artists could probably help spruce up the downtown (FREE) Has anyone looked at the local school scores they've plummeted severly in the past few years.They are classified as failing schools by the state of Georgia. These same kids have to hear our local politicians refer to there homes in a derogatory manor just because they can live in a trailer park. It sickens me that these same people preach christianity. It is very sad. I volunteer in our schools and I see these children that are feeling the effects of our economy and their own city has made rude comments and shunned them because of the home they live in. I know about the back pack program and that is a great start but this city could do so much more just by watching their tongues. Mental and social abuse is by far much worst than feeling hunger after school hours. Think before you speak and remember it takes a village to raise a child. Imagine what that million dollars could have done for the youth of Temple, instead it was wasted time and time again with the two signatures that matter most in a city like Temple The Mayor Rick Ford and the second signature City of Temple Chief of Police. Mayor Rick Ford recently stated in the Times Georgian that he was not aware that these monies could be used in other areas of our community. That is a pathetic excuse. He is the MAYOR!!! He has to know for the benefits of his community that he serves. Well he did know what line to sign to waste all of it. Does anyone just sign their name to a legal tender without first educating themselves? Why be a mayor if you don't know how. We are so sick of the apologies and excuses. I know that I wouldn't dump my trash near my water source so why did the mayor dump his at the city water site! One more thing, my deciding vote for Lestor Harmon was sealed when I heard Mayor Rick Ford disrespectfully degrade and threaten one of our fine police officers because he thought he had a smirk on his face when one of the "Hell Raisers" spoke at a City Council meeting. I would hope that everyone has the opportunity to hear this cd it shows how pure evil is running our city. In my entire life I have never heard a person speak to another like he did that officer. I have actually had nightmares from it. I pray to our lord that no one else will have to endure such evil words. I commend the officer that has held his head high and has removed those horrid words from is soul and that he didn't absorb the brutality that our Mayor was cramming down his throat. This fine Officer has a beautiful family and could look to the source of evil and remove himself from it. I applaud you. I personally if I had been spoken to like that well let's just say Rick wouldn't have had a chance to run in this past election.