Felon turned mayor candidate challenged over right to run

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. — A man running for mayor in a Savannah suburb is defending his qualifications for office, saying a restoration of rights following a drug trafficking conviction makes him legally eligible.

WTOC-TV reported that a Port Wentworth resident had challenged the legal qualifications of Julius Hall, who’s running for mayor this fall in the 9,000-person town.

The crux of the challenge is whether enough time has passed since the end of Hall’s prison term. Hall defended himself in a Friday hearing before the Port Wentworth superintendent of elections.

Federal court records show Hall was convicted in 1991 of running a crack-cocaine trafficking ring while serving as a Savannah police corporal. Hall served 22 years, completing his sentence in 2013.

The state constitution says no one convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude can run for office for 10 years after the end of their sentence. Hall, though, says the rule doesn’t apply to him because the state Board of Pardons and Paroles restored his rights, including to vote and run for office, in January.

The election superintendent said Hall’s case would be decided next Friday, the deadline to print ballots before the election.

Hall said that if he loses, he will appeal to Chatham County Superior Court.

“To be honest, I look to go to superior court. Because I can’t, I don’t think I’m going to get a fair hearing here,” Hall said. “If they want me to obey the law, then they should recognize the law also.”