Georgia Secretary of State Criticizes Bid to Change Election Procedures

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks at a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 11, 2022. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

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.

In an Aug. 15 statement, the state’s top elections official touted the various reforms Georgia—a battleground state—has implemented in a bid to “foster voter confidence in elections.”

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.

Because of these efforts, “Georgia has been identified by the Heritage Foundation as having some of the best election integrity measures in the country,” he said.

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 referenced by Raffensperger was submitted by Sharlene Alexander, a member of the Fayette County Board of Elections and Voter Registration.

It would require three people at a polling precinct to “independently count the total number of ballots,” sorting them into stacks of 50 ballots until they all arrive at the same ballot count independently.

Possible Delays on Election Night

“If the numbers recorded on the precinct poll pads, ballot marking devices (BMDs), and scanner recap forms do not reconcile with the hand count ballot totals, the poll manager shall immediately determine the reason for the inconsistency; correct the inconsistency, if possible; and fully document the inconsistency or problem along with any corrective measures taken,” the proposed rule states.

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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.