“On June 29, an individual approached us attempting to challenge Roger Maier’s qualifications to be on this year’s ballot for school board post 2,” said Elections Supervisor Joseph Kirk, adding that while the time frame for a citizen to challenge a candidate’s qualifications is two weeks after the qualifying period, the individual who came forward “did present evidence to us that [Maier] needed to be challenged, in his opinion,” which led to Kirk’s calling of the special meeting to allow board members to determine if a hearing needed to be held.
Kirk said evidence presented by the individual and an anonymous mailing alleges that while Maier claims 1005 Old Alabama Road as his voting address — a residence in Post 2 — he actually lives at 1615 Old Alabama Road at an address that is listed on his personal financial disclosure statement as his farm. The latter address would place him in adjacent Post 4.
“They’re false. Absolutely false,” Maier said of the allegations following the meeting. “I’m in the process of moving residence, but my new residence is in the district. I verified it with the Elections Office before I moved. To me, somebody’s playing politics with our kids’ lives.”
Officials set the hearing for Monday at 10 a.m. at the Frank Moore Administration Building, 135 West Cherokee Ave., Cartersville, in the commissioner’s conference room; the meeting time also will serve as the regularly scheduled meeting of the board, originally scheduled for 3 p.m. that day.
Current information from the Bartow County Assessors’ Office shows that Maier is an owner of both properties, but the parcel at 1615 Old Alabama Road is also owned by his wife, Robyn K. Maier.
Maier, who represents Post 2 and is seeking his second four-year term to the board, is being challenged by Davis Nelson.
See Wednesday’s edition of The Daily Tribune News for further coverage.