As Georgians, we hold dear the foundational principles of our democracy, chief among them being the sacred right to vote. This right, bestowed upon us by the sacrifices of our forebears, is a solemn duty that must be protected. As we enter the 2024 general election, I implore every eligible voter to recognize the importance of participating in safe and secure elections.
Restoring trust and safeguarding the integrity of our electoral system is paramount to preserving the principles of freedom and democracy upon which our nation was founded. In recent years, our elections have faced unprecedented challenges. From foreign adversaries attempting to sow discord to politically motivated groups on both sides of the aisle pushing the boundaries of election law, the sanctity of our elections has been under siege and, with it, public trust in elections. In fact, a recent survey from RightCount, an organization committed to increasing voter confidence in elections, found that only 10 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning independents are very confident in the 2024 elections.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Safeguarding elections requires more than just showing up at the polls. It requires a commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the integrity of our electoral system from those seeking to undermine it. That is why we must be steadfast in our efforts to combat limited instances of voter fraud, secure our election infrastructure and preserve the integrity of our electoral process for future generations.
Thankfully, Georgia remains a national leader in seeking to advance common-sense reform measures meant to harden and secure the integrity of our election systems. Georgia verifies citizenship status when people register to vote to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in our elections. Georgia also has some of best voter list maintenance in the country, sharing information with other states to ensure accurate and up-to-date voter rolls. We require voter identification for all forms of voting. Georgia also performs risk-limiting audits of its election results after every statewide election. Risk-limiting audits are the gold standard of election audits, using statistics to hand review a sufficient portion of the cast ballots to confirm that the reported result was correct. A risk-liming audit of the results of the 2024 Republican presidential primary, conducted on the same voting equipment that was used in 2020, confirmed former President Donald Trump’s victory over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Ensuring the safety and security of our elections is not just a matter of government responsibility; it also is a collective obligation that rests with every citizen. By exercising our right to vote in an environment free from manipulation, we uphold the fundamental values of fairness and transparency that are essential to the functioning of our democratic republic.
I’m a proud Republican, but we can all agree that the importance of secure elections transcends partisan politics. Ensuring public trust requires that the process by which election rules are made be orderly and transparent and follow all applicable laws. The July 12 impromptu State Election Board meeting fell short of this standard. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Republican Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr warned all members of the board that the emergency meeting very likely violated the state’s Open Meetings Act. The rule of law is no matter of convenience; it protects our freedoms, and we cannot have secure, accurate elections without it.
As the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire commissioner, a U.S. combat veteran and a former law enforcement officer, I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure that all citizens can exercise their right to vote in a safe and secure manner. Through active collaboration with election officials, law enforcement agencies and grassroots organizations, we will continue to strengthen our electoral infrastructure and safeguard the integrity of our democracy for years to come.
In the words of former President Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Let us follow his words and stand united in defense of our democracy, ensuring that the flame of liberty continues to burn brightly for generations to come.
John F. King has served as Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner since 2019.
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