Hall Republicans now have no reason to go to the polls Tuesday

GAINESVILLE - The voter turnout for Tuesday's runoffs in Hall County was expected to be very slim because of the lack of contested local races - and now its expected to be even slimmer.

That's because of a state Supreme Court ruling Monday canceling a non-partisan runoff for state Court of Appeals - the only race Hall Republican voters would have been eligible for.

Hall County Director of Elections Anne Phillips says that leaves the Democratic runoff for U.S. Senate as the only race in the county that will be counted. Only people who voted a Democratic ballot July 20 or did not vote that day will be eligible to cast a ballot Tuesday.

Phillips says the cancellation of the state Court of Appeals non-partisan runoff is the first time in all her years of running elections she can remember an election being canceled so late in the game. Phillips says signs will be posted at each polliing place reminding voters that the non-partisan election has been canceled. She adds that votes cast in that race in advance and absentee voting will not be counted.

The high court ruled on behalf of third-place finisher Howard Mead, who challenged the election results when he missed making the runoff by 382 votes.

Mead contended he was incorrectly listed as Thomas Mead instead of Howard Mead on 481 absentee ballots in Laurens County.

Attorneys for Mead argued that because there were more flawed ballots than the number of votes he trailed Sheffield by, the election should be declared invalid and another one should be held in November.

Tuesday's election would have been between Debra Bernes and Michael Sheffield, the two apparent front-runners from a nonpartisan primary on July 20.

Bernes led the field with just short of 30 percent of the vote. Sheffield edged Mead for second place.

A superior court judge in Cobb County had ruled against Mead on Friday.

He said an incorrect first name on absentee ballots did not call the primary results into question. The Supreme Court decision overrules his decision.

(The Associated Press contrributed to this story.)