A group of Republicans has united to defend the legitimacy of US elections and those who run them
Republican officials who believe in the legitimacy of elections have formed a group that's pushing back on the election lies and conspiracy theories that have persuaded a large share of their party that elections can't be trusted.
Website warning of cyberattack in Georgiaโs largest county removed after it confused some voters
Officials in Georgia's most populous county have removed a banner from their website warning of an โunexpected IT outageโ after it created confusion on the final day of voting for the presidential primary.
Democrats sue for Saturday voting in Georgia Senate runoff
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnockโs campaign and Democratic groups are suing the state of Georgia to overturn guidance by Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that counties canโt offer Saturday voting ahead of next monthโs Senate runoff election.
What's the 'speech or debate' clause cited in Georgia probe?
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is citing the โspeech or debateโ clause of the Constitution as he tries to avoid testifying before a special grand jury thatโs investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others tried to illegally influence the 2020 election in Georgia.
Georgia's Raffensperger among witnesses for next 1/6 hearing
The House Jan. 6 committee is expected to hear testimony from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about the extraordinary pressure he faced from former President Donald Trump to โfind 11,780โ votes that could flip the state to prevent Joe Bidenโs election victory.
Takeaways: Trump's big defeat; election denial backfiring
Former President Donald Trumpโs crusade for vengeance suffered two devastating blows when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won their primaries despite rejecting Trumpโs entreaties to reverse his 2020 election loss.
Marjorie Taylor Greene hostile in testimony over eligibility
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was hostile during testimony in a hearing on her eligibility to run for reelection, saying she did not remember liking and making various social media posts surrounding the attack on the U.S. Capitol last year.
Records show pressure by Trump, allies on Arizona officials
Newly released records show the top Republicans in Arizonaโs largest county dodged calls from Donald Trump and his allies in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as the then-president sought to prevent the certification of Joe Bidenโs victory in key battleground states.
Georgia's new GOP election law draws criticism, lawsuits
(AP Photo/Ben Gray)ATLANTA โ Critics of Georgia's new Republican-backed election law issued fresh calls Monday to boycott some of the stateโs largest businesses for not speaking out more forcefully against the law, a day after advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging it. The new election law was signed Thursday by Republican Gov. It also bans people from handing out food or water to voters waiting in line and allows the Republican-controlled State Election Board to remove and replace county election officials. โGeorgiaโs Election Integrity Act that I signed into law expands early voting and secures our vote-by-mail system to protect the integrity of our elections,โ Kemp said in a recent tweet. But he said he does not support provisions that remove him as the chair of the State Election Board and replaces him with an appointee of the state legislature.
Trump endorses challenger against Georgia elections chief
(Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)ATLANTA โ Former President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed a conservative Georgia congressman in his bid to unseat the Republican secretary of state who refused to help overturn the November election results. โUnlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. โFew have done more to cynically undermine faith in our election system than Jody Hice," Raffensperger said. โEvery Georgian, in fact every American, has the right to be outraged by the actions and, simultaneously, the inaction of our Secretary of State,โ Hice added. He was among the many Republican officials in Georgia who relentlessly pushed Trumpโs false claims of voter fraud last fall.
Georgia GOP leaders who stood up to Trump back voting bills
Both men say they support Georgia Republicans' efforts to enact an ID requirement for absentee voting that would do away with the state's signature matching system, which Trump heavily attacked. As Trump disputed Democrat Joe Bidenโs victory in Georgia, Raffensperger argued the election was accurate and fair. A recorded conversation between Trump and Raffensperger leaked to media, allowing the public to hear Trump pressure Raffensperger and his office to โfind 11,000-plus votesโ to reverse Bidenโs win. The House version, which passed Monday on a party-line vote, would require a photo ID for absentee voting and limit the number of weekend days counties can schedule early voting, among many other changes. The Senate bill would limit absentee voting to just seniors, people with disabilities and people whoโll be out of town.
Georgia prosecutor investigating Trump call urges patience
Her office confirmed that the probe includes a call in which Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to โfindโ enough votes to overturn Joe Bidenโs win in the state. Following the November general election, Trump refused to accept his loss by about 12,000 votes in Georgia, long a Republican stronghold. In a Jan. 2 telephone conversation with Raffensperger, Trump repeatedly suggested Raffensperger could change the certified results of the presidential election, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. โBJayโ Pak, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Atlanta, was a โnever-Trumperโ โ a term often used for conservative critics of Trump. Thatโs just logical.โPrior to his call with Raffensperger, Trump tried unsuccessfully to pressure others in Georgia.
Georgia prosecutor investigates election after Trump call
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, right, walks to his office in the Capitol Building Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, in Atlanta. In a Jan. 2 telephone conversation with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Trump repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results of the presidential election, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. After the November general election, Trump refused to accept that Biden had beaten him. Prior to his call last month to Raffensperger, Trump had tried to pressure others in Georgia. Investigators with the secretary of stateโs office who look into such complaints typically present their findings to the state election board, which then decides how to proceed.
Georgia election officials investigate Trump call
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, right, walks to his office in the Capitol Building Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, in Atlanta. โThe Secretary of Stateโs office investigates complaints it receives. Trump had refused to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden and focused much of his attention on Georgia, a traditionally red state that he narrowly lost. During the Jan. 2 phone call, Trump repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, said in a statement that there was โnothing improper or untoward about a scheduled call between President Trump, Secretary Raffensperger and lawyers on both sides.โInvestigators will present their findings to the state election board, which will then decide how to proceed.
Trump pressed Georgia investigator to look at Fulton County
It occurred as election officials were conducting an audit of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes in Cobb County. Trump pressed the investigator to look into Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold that contains most of Atlanta. AdVarious election officials across the country and Trumpโs former attorney general, William Barr, have said there was no widespread fraud in the election. During another call in early December, Trump pressed Georgia Gov. In last weekโs call with Raffensperger, Trump urged the secretary of state to change the certified results.
Warnock makes history with Senate win as Dems near majority
ATLANTA โ Democrat Raphael Warnock won one of Georgiaโs two Senate runoffs Wednesday, becoming the first Black senator in his stateโs history and putting the Senate majority within the party's reach. Warnock, 51, acknowledged his improbable victory in a message to supporters early Wednesday, citing his familyโs experience with poverty. Trump's claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election, while meritless, resonated with Republican voters in Georgia. AP VoteCast found that 6 in 10 Georgia voters say Senate party control was the most important factor in their vote. โI feel like for the Republican candidates to still stand there with Trump and campaign with Trump feels pretty rotten.
Live stream: Georgia secretary of state holds press conference
FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, file photo, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference in Atlanta. President Donald Trump's conversation on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, with Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, was an unprecedented effort by a sitting president to pressure a state official to reverse the outcome of an election. Trump pressed Raffensberger to find enough votes for him to win. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Read: Full transcript of Trumpโs call with Georgia election chief
Theyโre changing the equipment on the Dominion machines and, you know, thatโs not legal. And so I just donโt know, you know, Mark, I donโt know whatโs the purpose. So I donโt know โ Iโm sure we do in Georgia, too. Trump: Well, I donโt know, all I know is that it is certified. But itโs a big problem in Georgia and itโs not a problem thatโs going away.
GA election officials reject Trump call to 'find' more votes
The Republican president, who has refused to accept his loss to Democratic President-elect Biden, repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results. Because we won the state," said Trump, who is scheduled to be at a rally in Georgia Monday evening. โPresident Trump, weโve had several lawsuits, and weโve had to respond in court to the lawsuits and the contentions," Raffensperger told Trump on the call. Raffenspergerโs Twitter response: โRespectfully, President Trump: What youโre saying is not true. Loeffler and Perdue have largely backed Trump in his attempts to overturn election results.
Trump Tapes: Follow live updates on Presidentโs call with Georgia election chief
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is returning to Washington after visiting his Mar-a-Lago resort. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)President Donald Trump badgered and pleaded with Georgiaโs election chief to overturn Joe Bidenโs win in the state, suggesting in a telephone call that the official โfindโ enough votes to hand Trump the victory. Trump to @GASecofState: So look- all I want to do is this. A recording of the call was later obtained by The Associated Press from a person who was on the call. Because we won the state.โFollow updates here as more information is expected to follow:
Georgia governor pushes back on Trump's call for resignation
Trump said earlier in the day that Kemp, a fellow Republican, was an โobstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG!" Investigators who audited the signatures on more than 15,000 absentee ballot envelopes in one Georgia county found โno fraudulent absentee ballots,โ according to the audit report. Before submitting an absentee ballot, a voter must sign an oath on an outer envelope. When county election officials receive an absentee ballot, they must compare the signature to the absentee ballot application if one exists and to the signature on file. If the signature does match, the ballot is separated from the envelope to protect the right to ballot secrecy guaranteed by Georgia law.
Georgia high court rejects latest Trump election appeal
ATLANTA โ President Donald Trump has lost his latest legal challenge seeking to overturn Georgia's election results, with the state Supreme Court's rejection late Saturday of a case from Trump's campaign and Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer. The case was subsequently appealed directly to the state Supreme Court, asking justices to consider the case before Mondayโs meeting of the Electoral College. Itโs the latest legal setback in the presidentโs efforts to overturn the election results. In Georgia, he has rained criticism on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Last week, Raffensberger again recertified the stateโs election results after a recount requested by Trump confirmed once again that Biden won the state, and the governor then recertified the stateโs 16 presidential electors.
GOP voters ready for Georgia runoffs despite Trump's claims
Many Republican voters in Georgia are angry; certain that widespread voter fraud claims of which are baseless cost President Donald Trump the election. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)ATLANTA โ Many Republican voters in Georgia are angry. They're convinced that widespread voter fraud โ claims that are baseless โ cost President Donald Trump the election to Democrat Joe Biden. But interviews with voters and party activists in the state suggest there's little sign that Trump's voters are planning to stay home in protest. Jeanne Seaver, a Republican activist in Georgia who worked on Trump's 2016 campaign, said she believes that Republican voters will still come out to support Perdue and Loeffler despite the anger on the ground.
Georgia secretary of state wins praise from Schwarzenegger
ATLANTA โ Georgiaโs secretary of state has received death threats over his handling of last monthโs election, but he's found a fan in Arnold Schwarzenegger. The call was organized by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger explained to Raffensperger that the institute plans to bestow Democracy Action Hero awards next week over Zoom. The institute has received more requests for polling center grants from Georgia than from any other state and has invested $1.4 million in grants for polling sites in the state, Schwarzenegger said. He thanked Raffensperger for not standing in the way of opening more polling sites, saying election officials in some states have rejected their efforts.
Georgia GOP seeks mail-in ballot changes after Biden's win
Republicans are zeroing in on a plan to require a photo ID for ballots cast by mail. Brian Kemp, both Republicans who have been publicly lambasted by Trump, have joined the push to require a photo ID for absentee voting. She said that while signature matches provide some security for mail-in ballots, the process should be shored up. Democrats and voting rights groups have for years sought to decrease rejections of absentee ballots in Georgia, arguing that minorities have been disproportionately affected. Absentee ballots are sometimes rejected because signatures on the outer envelope are deemed not to match signatures in the voter registration system, or because the envelope is not signed at all.
Georgia elections official urges Trump to rein in supporters
In this Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 photo, Gabriel Sterling a top Georgia elections official stands during a news conference, in Atlanta. On Tuesday Dec. 1, 2020, Sterling called on President Donald Trump to condemn supporters who have threatened violence against election officials. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA โ A top Georgia elections official on Tuesday lashed out angrily at the rhetoric surrounding the election and the threats of violence that have resulted, specifically calling on President Donald Trump to rein in his supporters. โRigged Election,โ Trump tweeted. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler both issued statements Tuesday evening condemning violence but also criticizing election officials, according to news outlets.
Georgia official announces investigations, defends election
ATLANTA โ Georgia's top elections official announced investigations Monday into potential violations of election law even as he defended the integrity of the state's election against what he's said are baseless attacks. A sworn statement from a Republican official in Gwinnett County, in Atlanta's suburbs, says there were more absentee ballots than absentee ballot envelopes, Sterling said. Under state law, a trailing candidate can request a recount when the margin is less than 0.5%. After the initial tally following Election Day, Raffensperger selected the presidential race for an audit required by state law. Signatures on absentee ballot envelopes must be verified against signatures in the voter registration system when theyโre received.
In Georgia, Republicans juggle Biden win and Trump loyalties
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)GAINESVILLE, Ga. โ Twin Georgia Senate runoffs have Republicans in a quandary. They could admit President Donald Trump lost his re-election bid and turn all attention to salvaging a Senate majority to counter President-elect Joe Biden. โIโm here because I stand with President Donald Trump,โ Pence declared in Gainesville, Georgia. Brian Kemp, himself a former Georgia secretary of state, on social media. The 60-year-old came to see Pence, Loeffler and both Perdues, but made clear she was there because of her loyalties to the president.
Trump team requests recount of Georgia's presidential race
Georgia's results showed Biden beating Trump by 12,670 votes out of about 5 million cast, or 0.25%. A Trump legal team statement said: โToday, the Trump campaign filed a petition for recount in Georgia. We are focused on ensuring that every aspect of Georgia State Law and the U.S. Constitution are followed so that every legal vote is counted. County election workers have already done a complete hand recount of all the votes cast in the presidential race. State law requires that one race be audited by hand to ensure that the machines counted the ballots accurately, and Raffensperger selected the presidential race.
Georgia officials certify election results showing Biden win
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, in Atlanta. Trumpโs endorsement two years ago helped Kemp win a heated Republican primary and eke out a narrow general election victory over Democrat Stacey Abrams. The counties' results were affirmed by a hand count of the 5 million ballots cast in the race, according to results released by the secretary of state's office. That recount would be done using scanning machines that read and tally the votes and would be paid for by the counties, the secretary of stateโs office has said. โItโs quite honestly hard to believe that during the audit thousands of uncounted ballots were found weeks after a razor-thin outcome in a presidential election,โ Kemp said.
Georgia Gov. Kemp stays on sidelines of GOP election fight
Kemp, Georgia's top elected Republican, has staked out a position on the sidelines. Kemp has neither endorsed Trump's fraud claims nor backed Raffensperger in his assertion that the election was conducted fairly. He said he's concerned an escalating debate over the validity of Georgia's presidential election could hurt Republican turnout in January. โGovernor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late. Must finally take charge!โ Trump tweeted Tuesday, referring to a poll that suggested Kemp's approval among Georgia voters was sagging.
Georgia's hand tally of presidential race nears end
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said he chose the presidential race because of its significance and tight margin. Because of the close results, he said, a full hand recount would be needed to complete the audit. The actual number of rejected ballots was about 350% higher, but that matched the overall increase in absentee ballots, the release says. Two years ago, 454 absentee ballots were rejected out of 284,393. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the presidential race in Georgia, where Biden led Trump by 0.3 percentage points.
Georgia elections chief battles fellow Republicans, Trump
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. Georgia election officials have announced an audit of presidential election results that will trigger a full hand recount. โThe secretary of state has failed to deliver honest and transparent elections,โ GOP Sens. After the Trump campaign asked for a hand recount of all 5 million votes cast in Georgia, Raffensperger chose the presidential election for an audit, which Georgia law now requires for one statewide race each election cycle. Not shying away from the fact that he's a Republican, Raffensperger has said publicly that he wished Trump had won.
Georgia official says Graham asked him about tossing ballots
Raffensperger's comments came as election officials across the state were working to complete a hand recount of votes in the presidential race. County election board Chairman Tom Rees said it appears the ballots were cast during in-person early voting but election officials werenโt sure how they were missed. But the county had the paper ballots and caught the problem during the hand tally, he said. County election officials were instructed to complete the count by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. State election officials have said they wouldn't release any results from the tally until the whole process is complete.
Masked workers start presidential hand tally in Georgia
Officials sort ballots during an audit at the Floyd County administration building in Rome, Ga. on Friday morning, Nov. 13, 2020. Election officials in Georgias 159 counties are undertaking a hand tally of the presidential race that stems from an audit required by state law. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)ATLANTA โ Masked election workers in teams of two began counting ballots Friday in counties across Georgia, a hand tally of the presidential race that stems from an audit required by a new state law. Across the state, audit teams worked with batches of paper ballots, dividing them into piles for each candidate, before counting each pile by hand. But critics have accused him of caving to Trump after the president's campaign and state Republicans requested a hand recount.
Georgia counties prepare for hand tally of presidential race
ATLANTA โ As Georgia counties prepare for a hand tally of the presidential race, the state's top elections official planned to quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said Thursday. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergerโs wife, Tricia, tested positive on Thursday, the deputy secretary of state, Jordan Fuchs, told The Associated Press. An audit of one race is required by law but it's up to the secretary of state to choose the race. Sterling emphatically denied that the selection of the presidential race and subsequent decision to do a full hand count was the result of pressure from the president. Doing a hand count of the nearly 5 million votes cast in Georgia during the Nov. 3 election is a massive task.
The Latest: NZealand mulls masks on Auckland public transit
Health officials had asked workers in central Auckland to stay home on Friday while they investigated the case but say they can now return to work. โ Surge of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France, but still straining hospitals. Alaska has had over 20,000 cases, including 477 new cases reported Thursday. She is scheduled Friday to address the situation and is expected to announce new public health restrictions aimed to curbing spread. Thatโs the impassioned message that dozens of parents and school administrators are sending to public health officials in Pennsylvaniaโs third-most populous county.
Georgia recount: Full by-hand count of presidential ballots, secretary of state says
The Republican secretary of state in Georgia said Wednesday his state will conduct an audit of the 2020 presidential race as they plan to recount millions of ballots by hand. โWe have all worked hard to bring fair and accurate counts to assure that the will of the voters is reflected in the final count," said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. of State Raffensperger says the state will conduct a โfull, by hand recount in each countyโ; Biden currently leads by 14,111 votes. โWe will work with the counties to get this (recount) done in time for our state certification,โ said Raffensperger. He would become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the Peach State since President Bill Clinton in 1992.
Georgia audit to trigger hand tally of presidential vote
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. Georgia election officials have announced an audit of presidential election results that will trigger a full hand recount. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a news conference that the presidential race makes the most sense. Georgians cast nearly 5 million votes in the presidential race and counties have until Friday to certify their results. In addition to the audit of the presidential race, Raffensperger announced that he's consolidating runoff elections.
The Latest: International observers see no fraud in US vote
President-elect Joe Biden listens during a meeting with his COVID-19 advisory council, Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):9 p.m.International observers from the Organization of American States say they saw no instances of fraud or voting irregularities in the U.S. presidential election. Some Republicans are renewing their attacks on President-elect Joe Bidenโs lead over President Donald Trump in Georgia, with Sens. Political appointees who are looking for job opportunities after President Donald Trumpโs election defeat to President-elect Joe Biden should think twice. Carson is the first member of President Donald Trumpโs cabinet known to have tested positive.
Some Republicans attack Georgia votes, provide no evidence
ATLANTA โ Some Republicans renewed their attacks Monday on Democrat Joe Biden's lead over President Donald Trump in Georgia, with U.S. Sens. Perdue and Loeffler offered no evidence and gave no specific examples of illegal votes or fraud, and their campaigns did not respond to requests for further comment. โDoes it rise to the numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome to where President Trump is given Georgiaโs electoral votes? "He has failed the people of Georgia, and he should step down immediately.โOther Republicans have been more cautious, with Gov. โWe must count every legal vote and cast out every illegal vote in the state of Georgia,โ Sonny Perdue said.
Election officials scramble to count ballots in key states
Unlike in previous years, states were contending with an avalanche of mail ballots driven by the global pandemic. Every election, whatโs reported on election night are unofficial results, and the counting of votes extends past Election Day. This year, with so many mail ballots and close races in key states, counting every vote was expected to take more time. โThese ballots were cast by tens of thousands of Michigan citizens who have the right to have their vote counted. Slowing the process down was the fact that local election officials could not begin processing and scanning ballots ahead of Election Day, as most states did.
The Latest: Calls for voting extension in Georgia after Zeta
Early voting ended Tuesday, so Zeta hasnโt disrupted any voting so far. Early voting ended Tuesday, so Zeta hasnโt disrupted any voting so far. State officials werenโt sure how many of the 336 early voting locations statewide were closed or delayed in opening. ___6:55 a.m.Officials in Georgia say high winds from Tropical Storm Zeta have caused a second death in the South. ___4:00 a.m.A tropical storm warning is in effect in Atlanta as Tropical Storm Zeta makes its way quickly toward the northeast.
Democrats sue Georgia election officials over lines at polls
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA Democrats are asking a federal judge to order Georgia election officials to take steps to prevent long lines at the polls on Election Day. The lawsuit seeks "to remedy the fundamentally unreasonable conditions that have led, repeatedly, to unconstitutional burdens on countless Georgia voters." The lawsuit was filed by the Democratic Party of Georgia, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and three Georgia voters against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who's the top elections official in the state, and other state and county election officials. It asks a judge to declare that these problems violate voters' constitutional rights and to order election officials to provide enough polling places and other election resources to prevent long lines on Election Day. Some Democrats expressed concern that it could cause confusion for voters if changes were made between a primary and a general election.
Georgia measure would stop officials mailing ballot requests
ATLANTA Republicans controlling a Georgia House committee approved legislation Wednesday that would prevent election officials from proactively sending mail ballot request forms to voters ahead of an election. Senate Bill 463 proposes several changes to Georgia election law, including giving county election officials leeway in deciding how many voting machines theyll need for certain elections. Under the bill, individual voters would essentially be left to start the process themselves if they want to vote absentee. Republican Rep. Shaw Blackmon, chairman of the committee, said the change is meant to help county election officials avoid being flooded with absentee ballot applications, as happened before the June 9 primary. The secretary of state has already said that he is not going to send out proactively absentee applications," Shannon said.
'Chaos in Georgia': Is messy primary a November harbinger?
Many Democrats blamed the Republican secretary of state for hourslong lines, voting machine malfunctions, provisional ballot shortages and absentee ballots failing to arrive in time for Tuesday's elections. We have to learn our lessons, not just from Georgia, and protect the entire process, McMillan said. Its really specifically in one or two counties, in Fulton and DeKalb counties, that had these issues today, Raffensperger said. Its local elections chief, Richard Barron, called Tuesday a learning experience" while alluding to the state's role in the primary process. On absentee ballots, the Republican secretary of state pushed unprecedented no-fault absentee access, paying to send an application to every Georgian on the active voter rolls.
Primary chaos puts Georgia in race to fix voting by November
It scares me," said Cathy Cox, a Democrat who oversaw Georgia elections as secretary of state from 1999 through 2007. The possibility of an August runoff loomed in a high-profile primary race among Democrats seeking to challenge GOP Sen. David Perdue, meaning Georgia voters could face another logjam at the polls in just two months. Two poll managers tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days, and other election workers simply did not show up, Barron said. County election officials countered that the state should have provided more resources for staffing and training. Cox, who held Raffensperger's job more than a decade ago, agreed that state officials share in the blame.
The Latest: Georgia elections chief probing voting problems
WASHINGTON The Latest on the 2020 primary elections (all times local):2:30 p.m.Georgia's secretary of state has opened an investigation into voting problems in two counties in metro Atlanta amid reports of voting machine malfunctions in its twice-delayed primary election. Republican Brad Raffensperger on Tuesday announced investigations into Fulton and Dekalb counties' election process. It's the first time Georgia is using its new voting system, which combined touchscreens with scanned paper ballots in races for president, U.S. Senate and dozens of other contests. However, voting delays weren't limited to Atlanta. News outlets also reported problems with poll workers operating voting equipment in Macon and a long line stretching through the parking lot of polling site at a church in Columbus.
Georgia tests new voting system before ambitious 2020 switch
The way Georgia conducts elections next year will be closely watched nationally after the officials faced a torrent of criticism in 2018. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg gave Georgia until Jan. 1 to retire the election system in use since 2002, calling it "seriously flawed." Linkswiler and Carol Heard, elections supervisor for Decatur County in southwest Georgia, said a few voters making final checks caught mistakes. If computer-generated ballots are cast without voters reviewing them, she said, audits are meaningless because "you don't know what the voter intended." Advocates and individual Georgia voters who sued over the state's old machines are now challenging the new ones in court.