Clerk apologizes for ‘rude’ attitude
♦ The Floyd County Board of Elections reprimands Robert Brady for his behavior at its last meeting.
The Floyd County Board of Elections reprimanded Chief Elections Clerk Robert Brady on Thursday for his conduct at a previous meeting.
The board held a special called meeting where they spent over 50 minutes behind closed doors with County Attorney Virginia Harman.
After coming out of the closed session, Chair Tom Rees said they reprimanded Brady for his conduct at the Aug. 18 board meeting.
During that meeting, Brady was dismissive when answering questions from resident Larry Morrow about absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
While Morrow attempted to explain that Georgia state law allows local elections offices to issue absentee ballots as early as Sept. 15, Brady said ballots would not likely go out until October.
During the exchange, Brady kept challenging Morrow by repeatedly asking if he had seen a ballot for the election yet.
Board members Melanie Conrad and John Scott Husser eventually interrupted and clarified that the ballots would be sent out as soon as they’re ready.
Several people complained later about the display.
Brady apologized to the small group present Thursday who had been at the earlier meeting, including Rome City Commissioner Wendy Davis and resident Daniel Eason. Morrow was not present.
“I sincerely apologize, it was not my intention to offend anybody,” he said. “All I can say is that it does not escape my attention that, after careful reflection, I was openly rude to somebody.”
Brady said he intends to not let it happen again in the future.
The official report and issues from the Aug. 11 primary runoff election will be discussed at the upcoming September meeting.
The next Board of Elections meeting will take place on Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. in the Community Room of the Floyd County Administration Building at 12 E. Fourth Ave. The meeting will be open to the public, but masks are required.