Smith v. Long County Board of Elections and Registration

Summary

The Supreme Court of Georgia affirmed the denial of Smith’s election contest because he failed to show that enough irregular or illegal votes placed the nine-vote result in doubt. The court held that the trial court properly considered the cumulative number of proven irregular votes, correctly declined to invalidate absentee ballots based on technical defects where the voters’ intent was established, and did not clearly err in its residency findings. The court concluded that only seven ballots were sufficiently shown to be irregular, which was fewer than the margin of victory.