Over the past month, the Georgia State Election Board has approved a series of contentious rules.
One of the most controversial is a rule allowing election board members to examine piles of documents and requiring counties to verify detailed vote counts before the deadline for overseas and military ballots. The new rule creates additional steps before election results can be certified. Many readers have weighed in on these measures. Here are some of their thoughts:
Election board tries to redefine its role
The AJC’s report on the “anti-certification of elections movement” clarifies how this group is attempting to redefine the role of a local board of electors. Many act as though others are undermining democracy while they undermine the rule of law necessary for democracy.
As the report noted, more than 100 years of precedent clarifies that the local board’s role is ministerial and not discretionary or adjudicatory. Local canvassers can report concerns and discrepancies to appropriate authorities, but their legal duties are neither investigative nor discretionary.
Many local canvassers are attempting to arrogate to themselves authorities the law clearly says they do not have. They do this because either they wrongfully believe the last election was stolen or they wish to perpetuate the stolen election lie.
Those who enter office to prevent certifications should be careful. The lack of evidence to support the previous lie has ruined reputations and destroyed careers, and it continues to threaten the liberties of those who blindly pursued vindication for someone else’s lie at the expense of the rule of law.
BILL NEWNAM, ATLANTA
Board focus is elections distrust
Never in a million years would I have imagined attending a State Election Board meeting, but I did. Alarmed by the reported recent behavior of this board, I took the opportunity to attend the virtual meeting. My sense that this board was not primarily focused on a fair, viable working elections process was confirmed.
The prevailing dynamic appears to be distrust of the elections process in Georgia and doing everything possible to foil anything untoward. I am just not sure why. In the absence of indications that the process is not fair, viable and working, along with the clear statements from many of those in the trenches during the public comment period that the petitions being considered were not in the best-practices category of the elections process, the board seemed determined to pass those very petitions anyway.
I knew that the Legislature had ousted the secretary of state from membership on this board but did not realize that this board is separate from the department that has the elections division. So, we have an Elections Board that is essentially freelance. There are no elections professional on the board. Because we heard not a word from the executive director except to say he would check out whether all counties had websites when asked to, I do not know what his qualifications are. Seems very odd. I continue to be alarmed.
ALIDA C. SILVERMAN, ATLANTA
Murphy rails against common sense election rule
In her Aug. 28 AJC column, “State Election Board put its own integrity in doubt,” Patricia Murphy demonized a new election rule posited by the State Election Board. But one wonders why she did not specify just what that policy was. Could it be that the change was so common-sense that it deflates the controversy that she and others try to create?
The policy is in response to Fulton County double-counting ballots in the 2020 election. The new election board policy calls for each county to make reasonable inquiries that the number of ballots counted does not exceed the number of voters before certifying the results. This balancing-the-books requirement increases the integrity of elections, as did other changes made in Georgia voting, such as requiring photo identification for absentee ballots.
Creating a faux controversy over such a common-sense rule without identifying the policy itself reveals a bias in reporting.
STEVE MILLER, DECATUR
We’re starting to look like Venezuela
The Aug. 18 AJC article “Ga. Republicans lay the groundwork to fight ‘24 vote” reminded me that we are edging closer to becoming a state like Venezuela, where the votes of the majority do not matter.
In 2020, the courts and good elected officials upheld the country’s democratic principles. I trust and pray that we will once again have those defenders of democracy on the side of the voters.
BILL ADAMS, DECATUR
No need for warning signs at precincts
Regarding the Aug. 24 AJC article “Ga. voting locations to receive warning signs”:
First, there is absolutely no need for these signs. The AJC article revealed that “A state audit two years ago found zero cases of noncitizen voting in Georgia.” Additionally, as a trained Georgia poll worker, I know that nobody gets into the voting arena without proof of citizenship. These laws have protected the vote for years.
And, why, if we have to put placards in front of every voting precinct restating and re-emphasizing existing laws, why is English translated into only one other language: Spanish? It seems very much like there is a targeted audience for this unnecessary message.
And, finally, who is paying for the production, distribution and placement of these signs? I’ll bet it’s Georgia taxpayers, many of whom speak two languages, one of them being Spanish.
KEN MEAD, MARIETTA
