For Immediate Release

Cherokee County may have an independent on the ballot in November. According to local business owner Gina Carr, she has collected enough signatures to qualify as a candidate for State House Rep, District 20.

"I needed 1213 valid signatures in order to be placed on the ballot,” Carr said. “Today I delivered to the Secretary of State's office more than 1800 signatures from the voters of District 20 that want to have a choice in November."

Carr says the collection of such a large number of signatures was only possible through the efforts of volunteers and supporters.

Carr and supporters collected signatures from citizens around the district, which includes parts of Towne Lake, Woodstock, Acworth, Sutallee, and White. According to Carr, the variety of places where she received signatures from and the large number of signatures collected reflect the growing discontent with the incumbent representative, Charlice Byrd.

"I have been told that when the list of signers becomes public, the Byrd camp is going to make harassing phone calls to try and make people say they did not sign my petitions. I ask anyone who receives such a call to let me know," said Carr. "Based upon what happened in my campaign two years ago, I know that there is nothing the Byrds won't do to win."

Carr’s concern for petition signers are not unfounded. "I have heard rumors that county employees who supported me were told to “remember who signs your paycheck” during the 2004 election,” Carr says. Mrs. Byrd’s husband, Mike Byrd is the Cherokee County Commission Chairman and is seeking re-election. “One high ranking official who was featured on some of my campaign literature was fired within months of the campaign. Is there a connection? I can’t say for sure, but it seems like a major coincidence.” Carr also states that friends who are local business owners have reported losing customers for supporting her and not Byrd.

According to Carr, the Secretary of State's office will forward copies of the petitions to the Cherokee County Elections Office for verification. This process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Elections officials will check petition signatures, confirming they are registered voters in the 20th district and that all petitions have been validated properly. There are a number of reasons that individual signatures and even entire petitions can be thrown out.

Carr narrowly lost to Charlice Byrd two years ago in a hotly contested election that took two run-offs to decide. Carr and husband Donald Kyle own The TowneLaker and Sixes Living magazines and the Around Towne Community Magazines.

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