ATLANTA — A city of Atlanta vendor is pushing back against claims that she's using her position to levy votes for candidates, handing out fliers with her own picks.
To begin that type of investigation, the secretary of state or the Board of Elections would have to be notified about voter fraud allegations from the recreation center involved.
That hasn't happened, but we got calls from concerned voters and a candidate.
Gwendolyn Johnson, 68, told Channel 2 Action News that the woman who oversees senior programming at Old Adamsville Rec Center in northwest Atlanta gave her "Jamila's Picks," a list of candidates for whom she should vote this week.
"I do just like the Atlanta Constitution and The New York Times," vendor Jamila Jones said. "I give my picks and they can use them the way they want to."
The list names the preferred candidates of Jones, 71, a city of Atlanta vendor who works at the Rec Center, and independently provides transportation and voting talks to older residents in their homes.
Channel 2 Action News obtained lists going back as far as 2013.
One list shows that Jones is a paid political consultant for one of her picks, receiving more than $4,000 in the last two months.
"Because she works here, she has access to all the senior high-rises. She's able to go pick them up and give them this," candidate Duwon Robinson said.
"No, I'm working here because I have access to the seniors. OK, had access," Jones said.
"She still has access," Robinson said.
"I certainly do," Jones said. "I have access to all of the senior high-rises. I go in and out and if they want this, they can get it."
Robinson is not on Jones' list.
He raised concerns about Jamila's Picks with Channel 2 Action News, accusing her of using city time, space and influence to talk older people into voting one way and helping them in the voting booth.
Jones and her friends deny those claims, but when Channel 2 Action News asked Jones, who opened the senior center for us this week, whether she helps seniors in the voting booth, she said she does so rarely, but upon request.
"I don't push anything. But I will assist them, say, 'Do this, do that,' in a booth sometimes," Jones said.
No formal complaints against Jones have been filed with the secretary of state or the Fulton County Board of Elections.
The Board of Elections says "occasional assistance" in a voting booth is acceptable only if a voter doesn't speak English or can't physically get into the booth.