A formal initiative has been launched to recall Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams from office.
The news follows a litany of incidents which have reflected poorly on Williams and the Sheriff’s Office as a whole. More recently, those incidents included the recall of an arrest warrant by a Magistrate Judge for a vocal opponent of Williams, the troubling Incident Report written by Williams alleging criminal behavior by the county, and the Burke County Commissioners refusal to accept a settlement agreement in a federal lawsuit against Williams by a former employee.
A Recall Effort
A recall initiative is a formal process for citizens to attempt to remove an elected official from office. Williams was on the ballot in November 2024, however, Lewis Blanchard, a candidate who announced early in the election cycle withdrew from the race in July 2024. A write-in candidate, Brad Capitosti, launched a campaign in an effort to give voters a second option, but write-in candidates traditionally need more time ahead of an election to build name recognition. Williams prevailed with 72.1% – or 7,276 votes – to Capitosti’s 27.9%. 11,127 people voted in all.
In terms of county-wide officials, Williams performed the worst.
| Coroner | 8,863 |
| Tax Commissioner | 8,717 |
| Clerk of Superior Court | 8,644 |
| Probate Court Judge | 8,595 |
| Chief Magistrate | 8,373 |
| District Attorney (Burke Co.) | 8,000 |
| Sheriff – Alfonzo Williams | 7,298 |
Every candidate, aside from Williams, ran uncontested and still garnered more votes.
Under Georgia law, every public official who holds elective office, either by election or by appointment, is subject to recall on the grounds that such public official has, while holding any public office, conducted himself in a manner which adversely affects the administration of the office and adversely affects the rights and interests of the public. More specifically, the reasons for recall include that the official:
- Has violated his or her oath of office;
- Has committed an act of misconduct in office;
- Is guilty of a failure to perform duties prescribed by law; or
- Has willfully misused, converted, or misappropriated, without authority, public property or public funds entrusted to or associated with the elective office to which the official has been elected or appointed.
A recall petition can only begin after an elected official has been in office for at least 180 days. For Williams, though he was elected in 2016, his most recent term of office began on January 1, 2025. Citizens must first submit an application to the Board of Elections, which includes sponsors for the effort, as those individuals will be responsible for collecting signatures. The application is then filed with the Election Superintendent for verification.
If the Superintendent determines the application meets the standards, Williams will be notified in writing that the recall petition has been officially issued for circulation. He will have four business days to file a petition if he wishes for a Superior Court Judge to review the sufficiency of the recall. If the judge determines the application is sufficient, sponsors will have 30 days to collect the necessary signatures.
Only people who live in Burke County and were eligible to vote in the November 2024 General Election are eligible to sign the petition and collect signatures.
If a judge determines that the requirements for a recall election have been met, an election date is set and the elected official in question would be on the ballot as would any other person who qualifies to run against him. The election would otherwise proceed as usual.
Once the recall petition paperwork is issued to citizens, they will have 30 days to collect the necessary signatures. The Election Superintendent will verify the sufficiency of the petition and signatures and make a determination within 30 days. If the petition is verified, it moves toward the next step of a call for an election. If the petition is not verified, no further action is taken.
Recall Initiative in Burke County
Spearheading the effort is Traci Whitaker Hollingsworth, the woman recently targeted by Williams for ‘Harassing Communications’ because of what she has posted on social media. Her husband is also a former employee of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
On Monday, Hollingsworth said of the effort:
“I am doing it because Burke County deserves a sheriff who is accountable, brings integrity to the office, and is fiscally responsible with our taxpayer money. We desperately need someone we can count on to do the right thing regardless of who is watching. Alfonzo has proven time and time again that he is not in the business of serving Burke county, but rather himself and his interests.”
The initiative has a Facebook page, which highlights the stories behind the initiative and information on the recall process. It also contains contact information for those wishing to sign or garner additional information.
Other Headlines for Williams
Burke County Sheriff Has No Receipts for $40,000+ of Credit Card Charges In June 2022, a TGV investigation revealed that Williams had no receipts for more than $40,000 in credit card charges, many of which were for his own personal use for travel and entertainment.
A Murder, a Prostitute, and a Heroin-Fueled Interview: Burke Co. Sheriff Facing Another Lawsuit – Williams is the named defendant in another federal lawsuit. This time, the suit alleges a man was arrested and held without bond for almost a year based on testimony of a prostitute who was high on heroin at the time of her interview.
Spoke Too Soon: Order from Federal Judge Indicates Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Burke Sheriff Will Proceed – While Williams was gloating on social media about prevailing in a dispute about sexual harassment, federal court filings indicated that a sexual harassment lawsuit against Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams would move forward. The order from a federal magistrate was signed the same day Williams used the official Facebook page for the Sheriff’s Office to post that the office had been cleared by a federal investigator.
A Troubling Timeline for the Institution of Speed Cameras in School Zones. Follow up to the first link.
Burke County Sheriff Calls on Governor to Intervene in Financial Disputes with County Commissioners – In March of 2025, Williams called on Governor Kemp to intervene in county business conducted by county commissioners, despite their constitutional authority to act autonomously.
Williams sought to take on county commissioners in a lawsuit in 2025, first wanting taxpayers to supply an attorney at a rate of more than double that of the county attorney and later seeking to have the proceedings sealed from public access and review. He later withdrew that motion. Williams formally filed a lawsuit against Burke County Commissioners in June 2025 over budgetary matters. He did so in 2021 as well, though that suit was unsuccessful.
I-TEAM: Burke County audit finds big problems with sheriff’s spending – In September 2023,
Burke County Sheriff Uses County Resources to Promote Re-Election – On numerous occasions, Williams has utilized county staff and resources to promote his reelection campaign, a clear violation of Georgia campaign finance law.
