MILTON, Ga. — The second floor of Milton City Hall buzzed with commotion when polls closed at 7 p.m. on Election Day, with 24 tabulators determining ballot markings, several poll watchers roaming the entire area and others observing from afar behind a rope.
Observers came and went. But, some stayed for the entirety of tabulation, like State Election Board Member Janice Johnston – a Republican Party appointee and known critic of Fulton County election management. There were also several students from Auburn University who study election administration and their mentor Mitchell Brown, a professor of political science.
Separated by precinct, six groups of four tabulators started with a recount of the ballots, then went onto reading the results. As poll workers carted Election Day ballots to the floor, tabulators had a head start with ballots cast during advanced voting.
With each precinct changeover, Deputy City Manager Stacey Inglis posted a sign to show what ballots were being tabulated and announced the number of tally sheets clerks would need to complete their work.
Tabulators had some fun reading aloud some write-in candidates. One giggled as she announced a voter wished for “anyone else” for some unidentified race. There were also a few write-ins for Councilman Paul Moore, who didn’t seek another term, and other characters like Mickey Mouse, the Cookie Monster and Pedro.
For a write-in candidate to win the election, they would have had to have qualified. With that, write-ins were mostly statement pieces.
Occasionally, clerks struggled to read the marks, and the two assistant managers of tabulation walked over from their desk to make their call. If they couldn’t make a final say, Inglis would step in and decide whether a ballot was a “total reject.” Inglis served as the city’s deputy election superintendent as well as…
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