City of Mableton candidates bounced from elections for ‘bad’ qualifying checks

After their qualifying fee checks failed to clear the bank, two candidates for the new city of Mableton municipal elections may be disqualified from these races. Elections Director Janine Eveler said mayoral candidate Henry Okafor, a boxing coach, was one of six candidates for mayor of the new city. He has been “removed from the ballot after his qualifying fee payment was returned for insufficient funds,” Cobb County said in a news release.

Okafor joins Dr. Paul Chukelu as the second candidate in as many days to be disqualified over a bad check.

Qualifying fees were $900 for mayoral candidates and $600 for council candidates, to be paid by cash, personal check, money order or cashier’s check. Elections for mayor and the six-member council are scheduled for March 21.

The impacted candidates have until Feb. 2 to demonstrate that the returned check was a bank error, the county said. If they fail to do so they will not appear on the ballot.