Local & State Headlines

Anderson may not stay on November ballot

• Baker County’s sheriff surrendered his gun and badge Monday, officials say.

J.D. Sumner

NEWTON — State leaders of the Democratic Party say they are “prepared” should the Baker County Probate Judge remove embattled Sheriff Isaac Anderson from the November ballot.

Anderson turned in his badge and gun Monday after Baker County Probate Judge Angel Hendricks declared the office vacant. Hendricks told reporters that she had received a letter Monday from the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council that said Anderson “no longer meets the necessary requirements to hold the office of sheriff.”

Hendricks now must decide whether to allow Anderson to remain on the ballot after he was the only party candidate to qualify for the office this spring.

“At this time, I do not know if he’s going to be removed (from the ballot),” Hendricks said Tuesday. “I’m just waiting to hear back from our county attorney on that.”

In the meantime, Hendricks said she was nearly done verifying the signatures needed for Dana Meade, the county’s lone Independent candidate, to be placed on the ballot.

In Atlanta, Martin Matheny, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia, said that party officials were aware of the Baker County situation and were ready to act if Anderson were booted from the ballot.

“It’s really a matter of state law,” Matheny said. “If a nominee is off the ballot — for any reason, whether they’re removed or withdraw — the executive committee of the party has 24 hours to name another nominee. We’re prepared if that were to happen.”

Matheny wouldn’t release the names of those the party was considering, saying only that more specific information would be released when “the time and situation is right.”

Despite his removal from office, Anderson — through his attorney, Phil Cannon of Albany — is refusing to give up his fight.

Cannon told The Herald that he plans to challenge Hendricks’ authority to remove Anderson, which would extend the former sheriff’s legal fight.

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