“Rick Barron managed two of the most significant and scrutinized elections in Fulton County’s history without major incident, weathering conspiracy theories spread by former president Donald Trump, lawsuits, death threats, and a pandemic. But on Tuesday, the county’s board of registration and elections voted 3-2 in favor of firing Barron, going against the wishes of the Fulton election director’s staff, who in recent days signed onto a letter in support of their boss” WABE.org reports.
“In their letter, the staff described overcoming a pandemic, death threats, hostile poll watchers, a coronavirus outbreak in the county’s warehouse, and the death of a beloved employee to conduct a ‘fair and unbiased election.’ ‘The person who is responsible for our success, the County’s success amid all of this, is current Director Richard Barron who has shown his ability to guide, motivate, steer and maintain the course of integrity, honesty, and fairness,’ the staff wrote in their letter to the board. Still, voting to fire Barron were Democratic appointee Vernetta Keith Nuridden and Republican appointees Mark Wingate and Dr. Kathleen Ruth. In contrast, Aaron Johnson and board chair Mary Carole Cooney, an appointee of Fulton County commission chair Robb Pitts, voted in support of Barron.”