Georgia Secretary of State Criticizes Bid to Change Election Procedures

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has defended the state’s election laws while condemning an effort to change procedures before voters take to the polls in November.
Raffensperger, a Republican, noted he has worked alongside the General Assembly to ensure, among other measures, that photo ID is required for absentee ballots, and that “rigorous citizenship verification” has been implemented, making sure that only U.S. citizens can vote in state elections.
The secretary of state then went on to criticize what he called “misguided, last-minute changes” by the State Election Board to undermine key provisions of those reforms.
Raffensperger specifically pointed to a proposal advanced by the Georgia State Election Board in July to count ballots by hand at polling places on election night to ensure they match the number of ballots recorded by voting machines.
The Georgia State Election Board consists of five members, one of whom is appointed by the state House, one who is chosen by the state Senate, one each from the Republican and Democratic parties, and a nonpartisan chair selected by the General Assembly or by the governor.
The proposal states that an independent hand count of ballots better ensures that “all ballots are accounted for” and “guards against reported result error and collusion.”
It has been posted for public comment, and the board will vote on Aug. 19 whether or not to adopt it.
Raffensperger said the proposal would “make it likely that Georgians will not know the results” on election night, which could lead to the spreading of misinformation and disinformation.
“Additionally, having poll workers handle ballots at polling locations after they have been voted introduces a new and significant risk to chain of custody procedures,” Raffensperger said.
“The General Assembly knew that quick reporting of results and certification is paramount to voter confidence and passed S.B. 202, but misguided attempts by the State Election Board will delay election results and undermine the chain of custody safeguards. Georgia voters reject this 11th-hour chaos, and so should the unelected members of the State Election Board.”
The Epoch Times has contacted the Georgia State Election Board for comment.