ATLANTA (AP) – State election officials opened an investigation into the residency of potential U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker’s wife after a newspaper reported that records show she voted in Georgia despite living in Texas.
The Secretary of State’s office opened the investigation into Julie Blanchard on Aug. 10, according to a case sheet obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. The case sheet has few details but the case category is listed as “Elections-Residency Issue.”
The records appear to contradict a statement from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger who, the day after the investigation was opened, was asked during a press conference whether his office had begun an investigation into Blanchard.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had reported Aug. 10 that Blanchard requested a ballot be sent to her in Westlake, Texas, for the presidential election and returned it. Blanchard also owns a home in Atlanta.
“We haven’t opened one yet. We just heard about that a few days ago,” Raffensperger said in response to the question at the Aug. 11 press conference.