The Hall County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to table an ordinance for door to door solicitation until Aug. 12, and it has become an issue in the race to become the next South Hall commissioner.

Commission Chairman Tom Oliver proposed tabling the first public hearing on the ordinance regarding business licenses for canvassers and solicitors until the commission could get more information.

The proposed ordinance aims to set regulations and establish license fees for who can go door to door.

Craig Lutz, who is challenging Commissioner Bobby Banks for his District 1 seat on the commission, sent a scathing letter to the commissioners following Thursday’s 5 p.m. board meeting with his thoughts on the ordinance.

He challenged the inclusion of politicians into the proposed ordinance, which would require candidates to buy a license before campaigning door to door. He said a number of sections in the ordinance are an unnecessary burden to free speech.

“What this boils down to is voter suppression and incumbent protectionism,” Lutz said. “This plan by our commission to limit speech is really just a move to protect your incumbency by keeping my grassroots volunteers from spreading the news on corrupt policies and decisions.”

Commissioner Bobby Banks said tabling the issue will have no affect on the upcoming July primary because the county currently has a moratorium on door to door solicitation. In September, the commission voted for a one-year moratorium on door to door sales following a number of complaints about aggressive salesman. The purpose of the ban was to give the commissioners time to enact a new ordinance.

“We’re still considering what to do with the ordinance and nothing has been decided,” Banks said. “It’s for the safety of our children and to deter unwanted, disruptive individuals.”