ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia congressman voted thrice this yr in a county the place he not lives, in all probability violating state legislation, state data display.
Republican U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson’s congressional web page presentations he lives along with his spouse in The Rock, 63 miles clear of his former house in West Level. Voter registration data display that he by no means modified his Troup County deal with to his new house in Pike County as required underneath state legislation earlier than balloting on this yr’s number one, common election and U.S. Senate runoff.
It’s unlawful in Georgia for citizens to solid a poll in a county the place they don’t have a place of abode, The Atlanta Magazine-Charter reported.
Data that casts doubt on Ferguson’s eligibility to vote in Troup County is to be had thru public belongings data, deal with knowledge, registration knowledge and voter historical past information reviewed by way of the newspaper.
Ferguson’s spokesman, Brian Piper, defended the congressman’s votes however didn’t reply to questions from the newspaper about why he endured to vote in Troup County after belongings tax data display he offered his space there in April.
“Congressman Ferguson, earlier mayor of West Level and lifetime resident, used to be registered to vote in his place of origin,” Piper stated in a observation. “Congressman Ferguson is recently within the technique of transitioning his residency to his new house in Pike County.”
Piper didn’t reply when requested to elucidate when Ferguson moved and why he it sounds as if voted in Troup County even after converting addresses, in all probability in violation of state legislation. Ferguson additionally didn’t reply to calls and textual content messages despatched to his mobile phone, the newspaper stated.
Ferguson’s new deal with is inside the third Congressional District he represents, nevertheless it’s outdoor different native districts that will were attached along with his outdated deal with akin to state Area and state Senate districts.
The secretary of state’s workplace has now not opened an investigation into whether or not Ferguson voted illegally as it hasn’t gained a grievance, spokesman Mike Hassinger stated.
The State Election Board has the facility to levy fines of as much as $5,000 in keeping with violation of election rules, however earlier instances have led to mild consequences.
Ferguson used to be one in all seven Republican congressmen from Georgia who signed a short lived supporting a lawsuit by way of Texas officers who claimed there have been irregularities right through the 2020 presidential election misplaced by way of their candidate, Donald Trump, and sought to throw out the effects. The U.S. Perfect Courtroom declined to believe the lawsuit.
Donald Sherman, who serves as senior vice chairman and leader recommend for the watchdog workforce Electorate for Duty and Ethics in Washington, stated the scoop of Ferguson’s balloting discrepancy suits a troubling development from the congressman.
“It’s, frankly, unsurprising that given his hostility to reform following the 2020 election and the rebel that he’s now undermining the electoral procedure in his private capability — in his personal approach — along with his legit capability,” Sherman stated.
Ferguson has in the past emphasised the significance of “election integrity” and defended Georgia’s balloting legislation handed remaining yr, in line with a March 2021 column printed by way of the AJC.
“Whilst Republicans at each degree of presidency are operating to reinforce our electoral methods to forestall voter fraud and make sure election integrity, Democrats are operating to enlarge and codify current loopholes to take advantage of it,” he wrote.
Ferguson, who used to be first elected to the Area in 2018, gained reelection remaining month with 69% of the vote towards Democrat Val Almonord. He served because the Area Republicans’ leader deputy whip for the previous a number of years however not too long ago misplaced his bid to transform the Area whip for the time period that starts in January. He additionally serves at the tough tax-writing Techniques and Way Committee.
As of Tuesday, Ferguson remains to be registered to vote on the Troup County deal with of the home he offered in April, in line with election data.