Judge rules Democrat can run, finds district violated rights

Raffensperger beat Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen and Libertarian Ted Metz in the midterm election, which concluded Tuesday, Nov. 8. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

A Democrat running for the Georgia Public Service Commission can stay on the ballot in November, a judge ruled Thursday, saying that districts drawn to exclude her violated her rights.

Patty Durand of Conyers should be allowed to continue her candidacy for the District 2 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge ruled.

Durand is the Democratic candidate running against District 2 Republican incumbent Tim Echols of Hoschton and Libertarian Colin McKinney of Athens. But Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger challenged her candidacy, saying that she did not meet her district’s one-year residency requirement.