Posted on September 14, 2020

Georgia: State Election Board Refers Voter Fraud Cases to Attorney General

Georgia Secretary of State, September 10, 2020

Georgia’s State Election Board referred a number of longstanding voter fraud cases to the Attorney General’s office during a hearing today. Chaired by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the State Election Board processed 98 outstanding cases involving various voting administration and integrity issues dating as far back as 2014. Among the cases are individuals accused of double-voting during the 2016 presidential election, and individuals investigated for submitting absentee ballots on behalf of children or the deceased.

“Protecting the integrity of the vote is my highest priority as Georgia’s chief elections official,” said Secretary Raffensperger. “A fraudulent vote dilutes the power of those voters who follow the rules and undermines the fundamental democratic idea of one person, one vote. As Secretary of State, I will investigate any and all attempts to delegitimize elections in Georgia.”

On September 10, 2020, the Georgia’s State Election Board met to discuss 98 outstanding investigations conducted by the Secretary of State’s office dating as far back as 2014 but extending through 2020. Three new rules, including one lowering sensitivity thresholds for absentee ballot scanners, were passed by the State Election Board as well.

Several of the investigations involved potential acts of voter fraud and were referred to the Attorney General’s office for further adjudication.

According to investigators, in two cases, one in Putnam County and one in Murray County, individuals allegedly voted twice in the November 2016 general elections. In both cases, the voters knowingly took advantage of glitches or poll worker errors to cast a second ballot in the election. Both cases have been referred to the Attorney General’s office by the State Election Board.

In Twiggs County, during the May 2016 statewide general primary elections, one individual allegedly registered her two children, both of whom were felons, to vote; requested absentee ballots on their behalf; then filled out and submitted those absentee ballots herself, including fraudulently signing the oath averring that she was the person identified on the ballot. This case has been referred to the Attorney General’s office by the State Election Board.

Georgia is recognized as a national leader in elections. It was the first state in the country to implement the trifecta of automatic voter registration, at least 16 days of early voting (which has been called the “gold standard”), and no excuse absentee voting. Georgia continues to set records for voter turnout and election participation, seeing the largest increase in average turnout of any other state in the 2018 midterm election and record primary turnout in 2020, with over 1.1 million absentee by mail voters and over 1.2 million in-person voters utilizing Georgia’s new, secure, paper ballot voting system.