After qualifying, political newcomer M. Arshad Ahmed of Lilburn immediately ran into technical difficulties in his bid to unseat Louise Radloff, the Republican queen of education, from the Gwinnett school board.

It seems there was some question about whether Mr. Ahmed, a Democrat, was actually registered to vote as required of candidates.

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Ahmed moved to Gwinnett about two years ago from DeKalb County, and thought he had transferred his voter registration when he was taking care of all the troublesome changes of address stuff.

However, the county elections staff had no record of it, and that trumped everything else he had to say, unless he wanted to go to court. Ahmed declined to involve the judiciary in his little problem, and bowed out, leaving Radloff unchallenged in her bid for re-election.

But Gwinnett Democratic Party Chairman Mike Berlon said Ahmed likely will be back in 2006.

"He's really interested in that school board position, and that should give us enough time to straighten out his voter registration," Berlon said.

They're not so festive

A Gwinnett County couple have already had enough of the political season, or least a particular politician.

Bob and Suzanne Nelson were handing out fliers at the second day of the Snellville Days festival that criticized judicial candidate Robert Mitchum for what they consider injudicious behavior.

On the first day of the event, they say, Mitchum and his supporters planted themselves in front of their booth to hand out business cards and scared off their business.

So the next day, the Nelsons retaliated by handing fliers of their own excoriating Mitchum to passers-by at the event. They also took a shot at the Snellville Days organizers.

Mitchum is a part-time magistrate who aspires to be a State Court judge. He is opposed by Judge Carla Brown, who occupies that seat and wants to keep it.

The Nelsons' flier said in part: "The commotion created by your enthusiastic cadre of supporters caught many an eye before they even got close to those of us vendors unfortunate enough to be close to your booth. I watched many people take a quick detour to avoid running the gauntlet."

Mitchum expressed surprise at the Nelson's unhappiness and said any offense was not deliberate. He said that at any one time, his booth, which was next to the Nelsons', was staffed by only three people.

"Why didn't they say anything?" Mitchum asked. "It rained the first day, and we weren't there at all the second day. No one was diverted from their booth. If anything, people slowed to talk to us who might not have seen their booth. I'm so sorry they feel that way."

Tangling over the Web

The Web wars continue.

Gwinnett County Commissioner John Dunn complained to the AJC that his nemesis, Bob Griggs, was using AJC stories on an anti-Dunn Web site (www.dunnshistory.com) without permission.

The AJC subsequently sent two don't-do-that e-mails, telling him to pay up or quit.

Jennifer Ryan of the AJC's news research department said she hasn't heard from Griggs, and the matter has been forwarded to the newspaper's attorneys. Griggs said he is raising money to pay for use of the articles.

"There's a large number of people who are ready to fund any defense of the Web site," Griggs said. "I'm going to do the right and proper thing. John Dunn knows there's a large number of people ridiculing him, and he wants us to stop telling people about his record."

He said he frequently provides links to AJC stories on his homeowners' Web site (www.aboutgwinnett.com). He said he always credits the newspaper when he uses its material.

Dunn said that since he had to pay something like $25 an article, Griggs should, too. He said he bought permission to use 16 articles on his pro-Dunn Web site (www.getmore dunn.com).

Dunn said his Web site should be up today.