ATLANTA – A Democrat running for the Georgia Public Service Commission failed Tuesday to convince a judge to let him stay on the ballot after Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger ruled that he did not live in the district where he was running.
Daniel Blackman was among four Democrats running in the June 17 primary for the District 3 PSC seat currently held by Republican Fitz Johnson. But late last month, Raffensperger kicked Blackman off the ballot after declaring that he had failed to prove he had established residency in the district in time to satisfy the legal requirements for candidacy.
Blackman had said he moved last fall to Fulton County, which is in the 3rd District, but Raffensperger observed that his wife had remained in Forsyth County, which is not.
Raffensperger considered that and other evidence in disqualifying Blackman, who then appealed to Fulton County Superior Court.
Fulton Judge Ural Glanville quickly issued a stay on Raffensperger’s decision. But at the conclusion of a follow-up hearing Tuesday that lasted for more than an hour, the judge said he had decided to rule against Blackman’s petition.
“The secretary’s decision did in fact properly apply Georgia law,” Glanville said.
PSC District 3 includes Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties. The decision leaves three Democrats on the primary ballot for that seat: Keisha Sean Waites, who has served in the state House of Representatives and on Atlanta City Council; Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate; and Robert Jones, who has worked in energy and telecommunications.