ATLANTA (AP/WAOK) - Fulton County has hired a consultant to help oversee next month’s election after its old voting chief resigned.

Gary Smith enters the office after the resignation of former Election Director Sam Westmoreland, who resigned Sept. 24 after being jailed for failing to follow sentencing terms from 2008 and 2009 DUI arrests.

State voting officials and local candidates had criticized Fulton County for its handling of this year’s primary election.

Smith was previously election supervisor in Forsyth County. Officials say  Smith helped break down the door to a precinct when a building manager refused to open it for voters waiting to cast ballots in 2004.

He was previously a board member of the Georgia Election Officials Association.