Herschel Walker’s wife faces probe over voting in Ga., living in Texas

AUGUSTA, Ga. - State election officials have opened an investigation into the residency of potential U.S. Senate candidate and Augusta native Herschel Walker’s wife after a newspaper reported that records show she voted in Georgia despite living in Texas.

A case sheet obtained by The Associated Press shows Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office opened the investigation into Julie Blanchard on Aug. 10.

No one answered multiple calls to a number listed for Blanchard on Thursday.

Walker, a former football star who was born in Augusta, is considering a Republican run for U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Raphael Warnock.

Walker is a longtime friend of former President Donald Trump and has joined in Trump’s unproven assertions that the 2020 election was stolen by fraudulent votes.

Questions about whether his wife voted properly in Georgia could turn those claims back on Walker.

Georgia was among the pivotal states in the election, with its electoral votes going to Democrat Joe Biden. Those results were repeatedly challenged, sparking an audit and recount that still showed Biden won. Trump also made a call to Raffensperger to ask the state’s elections chief, a fellow Republican, to “find” votes for Trump.

Walker played football for the University of Georgia and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He went on to play in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs said the investigation moved forward once it got approval.

Blanchard told the newspaper she considers herself a resident of Georgia. She didn’t answer a question about where she spends more time

Texas records show Blanchard and Walker have a homestead exemption — a tax break for a primary residence — for their Texas home. However, only Walker, and not Blanchard, is listed on the current tax bill.

One of the 15 rules used in Georgia law to determine residency is where a homestead exemption is claimed.

Georgia records show Blanchard doesn’t currently claim a homestead exemption on her Fulton County property.

Before 2020, Blanchard hadn’t voted in Georgia since 2008.

Copyright 2021 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.