WALB is working to produce a video for this story. In the meantime, we encourage you to watch our livestream.

NICHOLLS, Ga. (WALB) - Across South Georgia, small town politics can divide communities, neighborhoods, and even families.

That’s why WALB is launching a new investigates segment, “Small Town Politics,” dedicated to uncovering and unpacking stories about local conflicts.

We start this segment in the city of Nicholls, where the November election led to a recount, and there are still lingering questions about its accuracy and fairness.

Nicholls has a population of about 2,909 people and was chartered to be run by a strong mayor in 1903.

 Glynn Tanner, Nicholls City Councilman, said, “I think it’s just better for five voices versus one voice to be making the decisions.”

That one voice was Mayor Tamon Frost, according to Councilmen Glynn Tanner and Phillip Grady. Frost is currently serving his second term under the city’s current charter.

The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) has been asking them to update their charter for a year. A task that the mayor was originally on board with, according to Grady.

“Everybody said we agreed. The mayor sat right there with us and said he agreed with it. But later on, after he found out with the city manager, he wouldn’t be running everything, that is when he didn’t want it, that’s when he started stirring people up,” Grady said.

We requested an in-person or Zoom interview or a statement from Frost after he canceled the scheduled interview. He chose to respond directly to the questions sent to his email in preparation for a pre-scheduled interview.

When asked about his position on the proposed Charter, Frost wrote:

“I most definitely support that the City of Nicholls needs to update the charter of 1903. On the other hand, I oppose the Charter that was submitted or laid at my desk area by the City Attorney and the Council on October 6th, 2025, Monthly City Council Meeting. I was not aware nor made aware that this Charter was even being done until that night. The Charter needs to be done correctly, and the proper steps taken with the Mayor, Council and the City Attorney sitting down together and making the changes in the Charter that are needed.”

Those who disagreed with Frost’s decisions and were seeking new city leadership had the opportunity in November 2025. But it was after the mayoral race results came in that others in the city became concerned that something was awry, and allegations of voter fraud surfaced.

Grady said, “The residence didn’t match the name. And the name didn’t match the residence. In fact, the property you are talking about is my niece property, but he didn’t live there.”

That one property the councilman is talking about, the owner submitted a letter to the Coffee County Board of Elections Office stating:

“There is no house or livable structure on this property for the past 15+ years. The property taxes are current and paid by me each year. Any persons stating that they have residence there is not true and they are breaking the law.”

But the councilmen say that is just one of possibly a dozen people who allegedly illegally voted.

James “Ronnie” Burch said, “A lot of people coming in that have moved away for no telling how long they were able to vote; they would let them vote. That went on this time but not as bad as it did before.”

Burch was defeated by Frost in the 2021 election , 174 to 161 votes. Now four years later, the two faced off in the 2025 election, this time Frost clinched the victory by one single vote.

He said that he contested the unconfirmed results at the Board of Elections office.

“They did a recount. But I can too, 159 or 158, it was the same results,” Burch said.

We confirmed with the Secretary of State and the State Elections Board that a complaint alleging voter fraud was filed by a resident following the Nov. 2025 Mayoral election. The Secretary of State’s office is investigating. 

Tanner said, “I think that needs to be cleaned up, because everybody needs fair and honest elections.”

WALB asked the Mayor what specific issues have been brought to his attention regarding the election and what steps the city is taking to ensure upcoming elections are secure and transparent.

He responded, “During an election, there is always going to be someone not satisfied with how the voters voted, who the people in the City have chosen and voted for, and who they thought best to run the City. Of course, you will hear things that this is a small town. Even in a larger city. As far as what steps are taken to ensure upcoming elections, this is the responsibility of the Board of Elections. Any concerns that myself or anyone can have, you can contact the Board of Elections and express your concerns.”

However, Nicholls is not the only South Georgia city or county that has been placed on the state’s radar for possible election violations.

Brooks, Calhoun, Crisp, Dougherty, Mitchell, and Lowndes counties have been investigated for claims regarding the 2021 and 2022 elections.

Most of those claims have been dismissed, but Brooks and Mitchell counties are still pending further review.

Below is the list of South Georgia counties discussed in the State Election Board meeting from Dec. 9 and Dec. 10.

Cases For Possible Dismissals:

SEB2024-039 Bibb County – Security of Election Equipment

SEB2022-123 Bibb County – Wrong Ballot Issued

SEB2022-283 Bibb County – Voting Equipment Issues

SEB2024-174 Bibb County – Non-Citizen Voting

SEB2022-128 Brooks County – Problem at Polling Place

SEB2022-303 Brooks County – Voters Not Required to Show ID

SEB2024-069 Brooks County – Illegal Campaigning

SEB2025-033 Stewart/City of Richland County – Candidate Qualifying Issue (cont. case from previous meet)

SEB2022-097 Calhoun County – Failure to Open Polls on Time

SEB2024-204 Calhoun County – Poll Watcher Issues

SEB2021-050 Chatham County – Failed to get AB

SEB-2024-110 Clayton County – Absentee Ballot Fraud

SEB2022-325 Cobb County – Improper Ballot Issue

SEB2022-343 Cobb County – Improper Ballot Issue

SEB2024-040 Cobb County – Polling Location Change Issues 2024 PPP

SEB2024-041 Cobb County – Delay in Issuing Precinct Cards 2024 PPP

SEB2024-074 Cobb County – Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2024-148 Cobb County – Ineligible Candidate

SEB2024-181 Cobb County – Voter Intimidation

SEB2024-245 Cobb County – Photo Case SEB2024-047

Decatur County – Absentee Ballot Issue SEB2023-009 Dekalb County – Grant Fraud

SEB2025-020 Dekalb County – Photo Case

SEB2025-021 Dekalb County – Voter Disenfranchisement Issue continued case

SEB2022-101 Dougherty County – Omission of Candidate’s Name on the Ballot

SEB2022-062 Fulton County – Opening of the Polls

SEB2022-195 Fulton County – Poll Watcher Issue

SEB2022-212 Fulton County – The Georgia Voter Registration Project

SEB2022-261 Fulton County – Tabulation Issue

SEB2022-280 Fulton County – Fulton County Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2022-282 Fulton County – Ballots Cancelled or Issued

SEB2022-270 Fulton County – Absentee Ballot Fraud

SEB2022-324 Fulton County – Voter Discrepancy Issue

SEB2023-095 Fulton County – Parking Issue SEB2022-338 Fulton County – Out of State Voter

SEB2024-042 Fulton County – ADA Issue

SEB2024-045 Fulton County – Alleged Voter Fraud

SEB2024-132 Fulton County – Polling Location Change Issue

SEB2024-195 Fulton County – Poll Watcher Issue

SEB2024-229 Fulton County – Vote Buying

SEB2024-207 Fulton County – Voters’ addresses improperly changed

SEB2025-006 Fulton County – Fraudulent Registration

SEB2023-068 Jefferson County – Voter Registration Issue

SEB2025-004 Jones County – Late Opening Precinct

SEB2024-073 Macon County – Voting Equipment Issue

SEB2022-199 Oconee County – Poll Watcher Issue

SEB2023-077 Oconee County – Voter Registration Issue

SEB2024-093 Pike County – Cell Service Issue BREAK Cases For Possible Violation

Cases for Possible Violation:

SEB2022-322 Multiple Counties – 33 Counties Failed Election Night Reporting

SEB2024-232 Multiple Counties – Election Night Results Reporting Delays – 2024 GE

SEB2024-221 Chatham County – Election Night Results

SEB2021-105 Fulton County (2), Chatham (2), Dekalb County, Harris County, Harris County, Dougherty, Mitchell, Walker – Double Voting

SEB2022-093 Mitchell County – Did Not Open Polls On Time

SEB2022-005 DeKalb County (2), Floyd County (2), Hall County (2), and Chatham County Dual Registration / Voting

SEB2022-162 Jefferson County, Lowndes County, Richmond County ERIC - Washington Double Voter

SEB2022-364 Troup County – Residency Issue SEB2024-205 Fulton County – Photo Case/Unruly Voter (continued case)

SEB2023-021 Multiple Counties – Cross-State Double Voter Fraud Nov 2022 GE - Florida

SEB2023-014 Dougherty County – Registration Fraud

SEB2022-066 Bibb County – Wrong Ballot

SEB2022-284 Brooks County – Failure to Post L&A Testing Five Days Prior to Testing

SEB2022-183 Macon County – Missing Absentee Ballots

SEB2022-263 Macon County Absentee Ballot Drop Box Issue

SEB2022-116 Oconee County Residency issue

SEB2022-156 Oconee County Ballot harvesting

SEB2024-175 Clayton County – Non-Citizen Voting

SEB2024-075 Cobb County – Improper Absentee Ballot

SEB2022-086 Cobb County – Voter Fraud

SEB2024-176 Cobb County – Non-Citizen Voting SEB

2024-214 Cobb County – Ballot Issue SEB2022-256 Cobb County – Absentee Ballot Fraud

SEB2022-299 Cobb County – Absentee Ballot Issue

SEB2022-332 Cobb County – Memory card issue

SEB2022-342 Cobb County – Voter left with ballot

SEB2022-352 Cobb County – Absentee Ballot Issue

SEB2024-003 Douglas County – Double Voting

SEB2022-158 Fulton County / Douglas County – ERIC - Pennsylvania Double Vote

SEB2022-067 Fulton County – Double voter

SEB2022-068 Fulton County – Double voter

SEB2022-076 Fulton County – Double Voter

SEB2022-015 Fulton County – Tabulation issue

SEB2022-337 Fulton County – Tabulation Issue

SEB2023-017 Fulton County – Scanner Issue

SEB2024-027 Fulton County – Provisional Ballot Issue

SEB2024-109 Fulton County – Voter Registration Challenge

SEB2022-132 Fulton County – Improper Handling of Ballots

SEB2022-290 Fulton County – Absentee Ballot fraud

SEB2022-267 Fulton County – Voter Fraud

SEB2022-335 Fulton County – Northside Library Voter Fraud

SEB2022-295 Fulton County – Photo Case

SEB2022-329 Fulton County – Voter Registration Issue

SEB2024-001 Fulton County – Voter Identification Theft (continued case)

SEB2022-313 Fulton County – Residency Issue SEB2023-020 Fulton County – Missing poll pads

SEB2022-252 Fulton County – Campaigning Within 150 Feet

SEB2022-248 Fulton County – Illegal Campaigning

SEB2025-015 DeKalb County – Double Voting

SEB2024-046 DeKalb County – Observer Denied Right to Video Record (continued case)

SEB2025-021 DeKalb County – Voter Disenfranchisement Issue (continued case)

SEB2024-178 DeKalb County – Non-Citizen Voting

SEB2024-200 DeKalb County – Vote Buying at Tucker Reid Library Polling Location (continued case)

SEB2023-005 Decatur County – Voter Registered in Multiple States

Potential Dismissals:

SEB2022-302 Appling County – Double State Registration

SEB2024-246 Appling County – L&A Testing Issue

SEB2024-091 Bullock County – Voting Equipment Issues

SEB2022-220 Burke County – Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2022-111 Butts County – Districting Issues SEB2022-192 Camacho County – VA Double Voter

SEB2022-193 Camden County – Candidate Qualifying Issue

SEB2024-011 Coweta County – Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2022-246 Emanuel County – Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2022-244 Hancock County – Voter Not Allowed to Observe the Voting Process

SEB2022-180 Henry County – ERIC - Alaska Double Voter

SEB2024-059 Lamar County – Polling Place Notification

EB2024-106 Lamar County – Electioneering Issue

SEB2022-060 Liberty County – Double Voting Allegation

SEB2024-155 Rockdale County – Fraudulent Voter Registration

SEB2022-130 Talbot County – Poll Worker Issue

SEB2024-090 Tattnall County – Campaigning Within 150 ft.

SEB2024-072 Terrell County – Deceased Voter

SEB2023-018 Treutlen County – Security of Election Equipment

SEB2023-007 Troup County – Voter Registered in Two States - Voter Deceased

SEB2023-086 Putnam/Eatonton – Problem at Polling Place

SEB2023-065 Upson County – Handicap Parking Issue

SEB2025-039 Wheeler County – Candidate Unaware of Winning Office

SEB2022-314 Whitfield County – Deceased Voter

SEB2025-002 Whitfield County – Late Opening Precinct

SEB2023-052 Wilkinson County/City of Gordon – Candidate’s Name Left Off Online Sample Ballot

SEB2023-087 Athens Clarke County – Ballot Destruction by Voter

SEB2025-029 Athens Clarke County – Potential Use of Photographic Equipment While Voting

SEB2022-308 Athens Clarke County – Ballot Issue

SEB2022-233 N/A – Absentee Ballot Fraud/Facebook post

SEB2022-276 Putnam County – Voter Registration Problems

SEB2024-129 Franklin County – Discarded Ballot (Continued Case)

Potential Violations:

SEB2022-089 Wayne County – Provisional Ballot Issue

SEB2022-351 Wayne County – Photo Case

SEB2022-051 Long County – Wrong Ballot/Redistricting issue

SEB2022-304 Long County – Interference with an Election

SEB2022-058 Screven County – Closed Scanner Early

SEB2022-271 Screven County – Absentee Ballot Application Issues SEB2022-320 Screven County – Districting Issues

SEB2022-151 Toombs County – Voter Registration Problems

SEB2022-229 Mitchell County – Voter Registration Fraud

SEB2022-122 Jeff Davis County – Unqualified Elector

SEB2022-121 Candler County – Unqualified Voter

SEB2022-147 Candler County – Voter Registration Problems

SEB2022-265 Candler County Open Records Request Voter List Contained DOBs

SEB2023-015 Ben Hill County – Poll Worker Issue

SEB2022-346 Wheeler County – Voting by Unqualified Voter

SEB2022-321 Clay County – Voter Registration Problems

SEB2023-024 Richmond County – Residency Issue Case continued to January 21, 2026

SEB2024-014 Emanuel County – Absentee Ballot Issue

SEB2022-269 Wilcox County – Issue with Voting for Write-In Candidates

SEB2022-296 Laurens County – Voter Assistance Issue

SEB2022-361 Randolph County – Illegal Possession of AB

SEB2022-297 Crisp County – Absentee Ballot Issue

SEB2022-239 Washington County – Illegal Assistance to Voters

SEB2022-330 Pulaski County – Absentee Ballot Issue

SEB2022-017 Dooly County – Voter L/Security of Ballots

SEB2022-319 Wilkinson County – Requested AB But Never Received It

SEB2022-004 Twiggs County/City of Jefferson – Candidate Qualifying Issue

SEB2022-022 Hancock County – Candidate Qualifying Issue

SEB2022-104 Stephens County – Numerous issues

SEB2022-277 Peach and Crawford Counties – Voter registration problems

SEB2022-311 Monroe County – Use of a Recording Device

SEB2024-186 Morgan County – Felony Voting

SEB2022-016 Fayette County – Residency Issue

SEB2022-100 Fayette County – Spoiled Ballot issue

SEB2022-247 Fayette County – Paper Issue

SEB2022-286 Fayette County – Illegal Assistance to Voter

SEB2024-234 Fayette County – Campaign Lit at Polling Location 2024 GE continued to January 21, 2026

SEB2024-235 Fayette County Unauthorized Handling of ABM 2024 GE

SEB2022-339 Newton County – Tabulation Issue

As WALB continues to monitor the developing investigation in Nicholls, we will next break down the city’s charter and explain why the state is ordering changes to take effect in the new year.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2025 WALB. All rights reserved.