Challenges to voter registrations filed in Bibb County ahead of elections, hearing set for Monday

A series of challenges to voter registrations in Bibb County has been filed, targeting people registered at non-residential addresses or residing out of state, ahead of the upcoming elections.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A series of challenges to voter registrations in Bibb County has been filed, targeting people registered at non-residential addresses or residing out of state, ahead of the upcoming elections. The filings, initiated by Bibb County Republican Party Chairman David Sumrall, question the legality of 791 voter registrations across three separate challenges.

In emails obtained by 41NBC, Sumrall shared Georgia election laws with Thomas Gillon, the Election Supervisor for Macon-Bibb County, citing the need to ensure voters meet state residency requirements. The emails were sent on April 2.

The first challenge addresses 584 individuals listed as residents of another state “as indicated by their change of address request listing their new address,” Sumrall wrote.

“Under the law, you must remove voters who do not meet the residency requirements,” he added.

The second challenge questions the registration of 159 voters at the Mercer University Student Center, which Sumrall wrote is an invalid address.

The third challenge involves 48 voters registered at post office and UPS store addresses, which Sumrall also called invalid addresses. “Therefore, you cannot determine what precinct they live in and who they are allowed to vote for,” he wrote. “These voters must be registered where they are a legal permanent resident.”

Each challenge mentions OCGA 21-2-229, which mandates the county’s board of registrars to examine the qualifications of voters when challenged by another elector.

The Board of Elections has scheduled a hearing for these challenges on Monday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. at the Macon-Bibb Board of Elections Office, located at 3661 Eisenhower Pkwy Suite MB101 in Macon.