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Recall of Hall Sheriff Gerald Couch over DUI under legal review

By Jonay Seay-Oliver
FOX 5 Atlanta
Hall County
Published July 10, 2026 3:01 PM EDT
Published July 10, 2026 3:01 PM EDT
article

Gerald Couch arrested in Dawson County (Credit: Dawson County Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

    • Hall County election officials are asking a judge for a 15-day extension to verify 22 unmatched signatures on a recall application against Sheriff Gerald Couch.
    • The recall effort was launched by local residents who argue the sheriff is no longer fit to serve following consecutive suspensions for multiple driving under the influence (DUI) charges.
    • Under Georgia law, the recall process cannot move forward until election officials thoroughly review the signatures and certify that the application meets all legal requirements.

HALL COUNTY, Ga. - Hall County election officials are seeking a court extension to verify unmatched signatures on a recall application against Sheriff Gerald Couch.

What we know:

Elections officials are seeking a 15-day extension from a Superior Court judge to verify the signatures required to move the process forward. Hall County Elections Director Lori Wurtz filed the petition for more time to allow her office to thoroughly review nearly two dozen of the 100 signatures submitted on the recall application, according to a published report from AccessNorthGA.

Wurtz’s petition claims there were 22 unidentified sponsor signatures that "could not be readily matched to the signatures contained in the voter registration records." The petition asks the court to allow her to use the Georgia Code's investigative authority to verify the signatures through the Department of Driver Services (DDS), noting that those records tend to differ from the handwritten signatures a recall requires. 

Under state law, recall proceedings can only continue once election officials certify that the application fully complies with Georgia's legal requirements. 

What we don't know:

We do not have a statement from Sheriff Couch or his legal team regarding the recall effort or the current signature dispute.

The backstory:

RELATED STORY: Hall Sheriff Gerald Couch returning to work after DUI, attorney says 

The recall effort follows Couch’s recent return to his duties as sheriff.  

He had been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) Feb. 27 and received a suspension from Gov. Brian Kemp that began in March, but due to a separate arrest in May in Dawson County for another traffic violation, his suspension was extended until June. 

Local perspective:

RELATED STORY: Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch: Recall effort launched by residents 

Many local residents were already strongly opposed to Sheriff Couch returning to active duty following his consecutive suspensions. Organizers launched the formal recall process weeks after his June reinstatement, arguing that his multiple DUI and traffic arrests meant he was no longer fit to serve the community. 

According to the recall petition, organizers allege that Couch committed malfeasance, violated his oath of office, and failed to perform the duties required of his position. 

The Source: The information in this article came from prior FOX 5 Atlanta reporting and AccessNorthGA (linked above).

Hall CountyCrime and Public Safety