Eligibility ruling in House District 151 could take two weeks

ATLANTA — Gerald Greene didn’t have to explain how tired he was. It was evident in his voice.

The House District 151 Republican had just endured a marathon 10-hour hearing before the Office of State Administrative Hearings held to determine whether Albany Democrat James Williams will be allowed to challenge Greene for his seat in the state House in the Nov. 8 general election.

The hearing was scheduled — and rescheduled twice — after Greene challenged Williams’ eligibility based on residency. Greene contends Williams’ Shady Glen Lane home in south-central Albany is in House District 154. Williams has countered that he’s voted in District 151 in each of the last three election cycles without question until he qualified to run against Greene, the lone Republican in the state House who represents a majority-black district. District 153 has a 53 percent African-American population.

“That was brutal,” Greene said shortly after leaving the hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The hearing had started shortly after 9 a.m. “The judge (Administrative Law Judge Ronit Walker) gave us a 10-minute lunch break, which wasn’t enough time to even get anything to eat, and then we went right back at it.”

Greene said that Walker told the parties that she would make a ruling within the next two weeks.

“Who knows what will happen?” the lawmaker said. “I’m just glad this (hearing) is finally behind us. We’ll wait for the judge’s ruling, then, whatever it is, start preparing for the election.”

Messages left seeking comment from Williams were not immediately returned.

Greene said Williams’ attorney, Maurice King, questioned four witnesses, including Greene and two employees in the Dougherty County Elections office. One of those employees was Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson.

“He was pretty relentless in his questioning,” Greene said of King.

The secretary of state’s counsel also questioned four witnesses during the hearing.