Franklin elections results challenged

CARNESVILLE - Extra-close elections in two Franklin County towns are now being challenged in court by the men who lost those elections.

In Franklin Springs, Lee Moore lost the mayor's race to incumbent mayor Brian James after a hand-recount of the ballots found one extra vote for James. Moore filed suit on Thursday, November 11, challenging the election results.

In a similar case, one vote decided the mayor's contest in Royston. Incumbent mayor William Stewart lost that race to former city councilman David Jordan. Stewart also has filed documents in Franklin Superior Court challenging the election results.

Franklin County Elections Supervisor Sandy Phillips was not available for comment Friday, although a spokeswoman in the office confirmed that subpoenas in the cases had been received in the elections office this week.