New filings in Sherman Norfleet’s contest of the Uniontown City Council District 2 runoff election add a defense lawyer to the case, lay out strict rules for handling absentee- ballot records, and move the next court date to early December.
Dudley Long, the declared winner by one vote, has retained Anniston attorney Harry P. Long, her uncle, who entered his appearance late last week and filed an answer denying each of Norfleet’s allegations and demanding strict proof. The answer places Long, along with Uniontown election manager Alfreda Washington, in a formal position to litigate the contest as discovery goes forward.
Washington asked the court for a protective order governing production of absenteeballot materials, citing voter-privacy and security concerns. Circuit Judge Collins Pettaway Jr. granted the request and entered a detailed order defining what counts as “Absentee Ballots Materials,” limiting access to lawyers, court staff, experts and court reporters, requiring redaction of sensitive voter information in any public filing, and directing that the records be returned or destroyed when the case ends. Norfleet told the court he does not object to the protective order.
The clerk has noticed the case for a status review on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 2:30 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom at the Perry County Courthouse. The contest remains focused on Norfleet’s claims that the Sept. 23 runoff was tainted by misconduct and voting irregularities, including ballots allegedly printed and distributed in District 2 without his name. The court has not ruled on the merits of those claims.
