Morgan's Challenger Officially Disqualified

Anne Taylor, the Mableton realtor challenging incumbent Rep. Alisha Morgan for state House District 39, has been officially disqualifed from running for election.

The reapportionment maps were passed by the state legislature in August 2011 and the new district lines carved Taylor's home out of District 39. She now lives in District 40, a quarter-mile from the District 39 boundary.

Taylor qualified in May, but said she was not notified about the new district boundary changes until after she qualified.

She said she called the Cobb Board of Elections once she was made aware that her home now sits in District 40 on June 22.

Morgan told South Cobb Patch on Tuesday that it is the responsibility of the candidate to check his or her residency of the district for which he or she is running.

"I don't have the passion to run in District 40," Taylor told South Cobb Patch. She said she researched the area for District 40.

Now, she is looking at properties in District 39.

"It makes me even more charged to make a difference, and I feel that I can," Taylor said.

Is it the responsibility of the candidate to check redistricting changes before qualifying for election? What do you think?