GAINESVILLE -- Despite objections from multiple audience members, the Hall County Commission voted Thursday to approve the appointment of Dr. Tom Smiley as the chair of the county's Board of Elections.
Smiley's appointment was approved 4-1 with District 4 Commissioner Jeff Stowe being the only opposition. Stowe said while he respected Smiley, he felt that commissioners should have taken more time to examine his appointment.
"Tom's a personal friend of mine. I've known him a long time. I think he's an upstanding person," Stowe said. "My only reason for voting against Tom would be just to table it and explore what other options are out there."
Stowe's comment came after two audience members, including one member of the Board of Elections, Kimberly Copeland, said they felt Smiley's public stances on political issues made him unable to be non-partisan. Smiley is the Senior Pastor of Lakewood Baptist Church and is a regular co-host of WDUN's "Morning Talk".
Michelle Sanchez Jones, who ran for state representative in 2016, asked the board to consider other candidates.
"This last year, I was listening to WDUN and I remember hearing Mr. Tom Smiley on the radio giving his remarks on the election, so I can hardly imagine him being non-partisan," Jones said. "He not only showed his support for the Republican party, but he also called the chair of the Democratic party a murderer for being pro-choice."
Copeland said Smiley's public perception alone should have kept him from being considered for the position.
"Reverend Smiley can have political views, but when those views are expressed publicly and advocated from the very loud public pulpit, he loses the capacity to be viewed as non-partisan," Copeland said. "Even if Reverend Smiley can complete his role as chair without bias, he will be perceived as unable to do so and that alone disqualifies him."
Smiley, a Gainesville resident, was not in attendance.
