Grovner beats Deverger in a court-ordered rematch for McIntosh County  (GA)

Terry Dickson, The Florida Times-Union   06 February 2008

DARIEN - After a nearly four-month absence, the Rev. Nathaniel Grovner will get his seat back on the McIntosh County Commission.

Grovner beat incumbent Commissioner George "Bubba" Deverger Jr. 619-561 Tuesday in a court-ordered rematch of the November, 2006 race Grovner won by four votes.

Deverger challenged in McIntosh County Superior Court and Senior Judge T. Penn McWhorter ruled that some legally registered voters were not allowed to cast ballots in the race and overturned the election.

The Georgia Supreme Court upheld McWhorter's decision and refused Grovner's request to reconsider. Deverger resumed the seat in fall 2007.

Because it was a special election, Grovner can take back the seat as soon as the results are certified by the Georgia Secretary of State's Office.

Both men campaigned much of the day Tuesday outside the 250-foot buffer at the Darien Fire Department, the only poll open for the District 1 race.

It was a busy day at the precinct that got off to a bad start, said Phillip Kempton, a member of the McIntosh County Board of Elections.

The touchscreen voting machines had worked well when tested, but didn't when the precinct first opened, he said.

"We took the voter's names and are trying to make sure we contact all of them to come back and vote," Kempton said about 4 p.m.

County election supervisor Doll Gale said Tuesday night that all the residents came back and voted so it should not present a problem.

Officials from the Georgia Secretary of State's Office have been in McIntosh County keeping an eye on the election and one was back in McIntosh County Tuesday.