A Powder Springs man may have a clear path to becoming Cobb's clerk of Superior Court in the July 31 elections if challenges against his two opponents are validated today.

John Skelton is up against two other Republicans in the primary race: Joan Davis, also of Powder Springs, and Rebecca Keaton, of Kennesaw. The latter two are scheduled to appear at a public hearing this afternoon that could force them out of the race.

Last week, a challenge against Davis was brought forward to the Cobb election board. The challenge—made by Barry J. Schwartz and his Marietta attorney, Alan Manheim—says that Davis listed her running mate as current chief deputy clerk Elva Dornbusch, even though this wasn't approved by Dornbusch, the Marietta Daily Journal reports.

Another part of the challenge: Davis writing in that she's a lawyer on the qualifying paperwork in spite of being disbarred by the Supreme Court of Georgia, the newspaper adds.

The challenge against Keaton—made by Marietta lawyer Michael Carvalho—alleges that Keaton qualified to run with the Cobb Republican party on May 24. Carvalho says that on the following day, Keaton filed paperwork claiming Jason Shepherd as her running mate, even though Cobb election rules say qualifying and turning in a name for running mate must happen on the same day.

Then, Carvalho says, there was some altering on the form turned in by Keaton, including the whiting out of Shepherd's name and Kimberly Carroll listed as the running mate.

Carvalo's letter to the election board, as well as the meeting notice for Davis and the Superior Court ruling on her disbarment, are attached.

There are no Democrats in the race, so if the Cobb election board agrees with the challenges, Skelton essentially has the race in the bag.

The 4 p.m. public hearing will take place at the Cobb Board of Elections & Registration office at 736 Whitlock Ave. in Marietta.

Do you think Davis and Keaton should be disqualified from the race? Tell us in the comments.

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