{"id":2252006,"date":"2024-05-24T09:56:09","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T13:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/has-georgias-absolute-mess-fulton-county-gotten-its-act-together-on-elections\/"},"modified":"2024-05-24T09:59:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T13:59:55","slug":"has-georgias-absolute-mess-fulton-county-gotten-its-act-together-on-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/has-georgias-absolute-mess-fulton-county-gotten-its-act-together-on-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Has Fulton County in Georgia improved its election process after being called an &#8216;absolute mess&#8217;?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhas-georgias-absolute-mess-fulton-county-gotten-its-act-together-on-elections%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2252006&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The victory\u200b party \u200bof Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stood \u2063out as she \u200baddressed supporters shortly after polls closed. Despite the\u2063 early celebrations, improvements in election processes were recognized, indicating a shift from past delays in result announcements. \u2063Legislative changes \u200bsince 2020 aim \u200dto enhance efficiency, with Fulton\u200d County benefiting from state-level modifications for smoother elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fulton-county\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Fulton County\">Fulton County<\/a> District Attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fani-willis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Fulton County\">Fani Willis<\/a>\u2018s victory party Tuesday was noteworthy not just for a surprise guest but for the time she addressed her supporters: less than two hours after polls closed.<\/p>\n<p>Willis boasted shortly before 9 p.m. Eastern time that she\u2019d be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3011365\/georgia-election-fani-willis-trump-judge-mcafee-win\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"drinking Grey Goose\">drinking Grey Goose<\/a> following her primary win, but the party may have gotten started early in part due to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Georgia\">Georgia<\/a>\u2018s controversial election integrity laws.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe state and Fulton County have been working diligently together to improve processes in the county,\u201d said David Becker, founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. \u201cIn fact, statewide, I am seeing this in both blue and red counties. I credit the partnership, particularly between the secretary of state\u2019s office and the counties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Willis\u2019s landslide win over Christian Wise Smith was <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AP_Politics\/status\/1793062400461001053\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"called\">called<\/a> by the <em>Associated Press<\/em> at 7:32 p.m., and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the high-profile <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> election interference case, had his race called before 8 p.m. Spotted in the crowd at Willis\u2019s celebration was attorney Nathan Wade, her ex-lover who almost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2992078\/fani-williss-former-boyfriend-nathan-wade-defends-workplace-romance-with-trump-prosecutor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"cost her job\">cost her her job<\/a> as prosecutor of the Trump case.<\/p>\n<p>The early race calls were a huge change from recent precedent in Fulton County, which had been known for late returns. In 2017, the <em>Atlanta Journal-Constitution <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/news\/state--regional-govt--politics\/why-does-take-long-get-election-results-georgia\/zXNTnGA1mrp8OY5hJP55CL\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"wrote\">wrote<\/a> that Georgia voters often had to wait \u201cuntil the wee hours of the morning\u201d to get election results, with \u201cFulton County earning a reputation for getting its results in well after midnight.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Former special prosecutor Nathan Wade arrives before Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks after winning the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Buckhead, Georgia. (AP Photo\/Brynn Anderson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After the 2020 elections, in which some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-only-12-of-americans-believe-democrat-inflation-reduction-act-will-actually-reduce-inflation\/\" title=\"Poll: Only 12% Of Americans Believe Democrat \u2018Inflation Reduction Act\u2019 Will Actually Reduce Inflation\">voters stood<\/a> in line for hours and Georgia was one of several states that counted results for days with the outcome in doubt, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-jersey-democrats-pass-bill-requiring-database-of-handgun-ammo-purchasers\/\" title=\"New Jersey Democrats Pass Bill Requiring Database of Handgun Ammo Purchasers\">general assembly passed<\/a> new laws that could have led to a state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/politics\/high-stakes-election-tests-fulton-amid-state-takeover-threat\/G7DQXEGFDFCDRDQCHAFV4HFYNM\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"takeover\">takeover<\/a> of Fulton County\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n<p>While the laws proved so controversial that MLB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/669004\/mlb-picks-denver-to-host-all-star-game-after-ditching-atlanta-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"pulled\">moved<\/a> its All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver, a two-year state investigation ended with <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/georgia-elections-fulton-county-state-takeover-945cfa5782b44515ecd4310121bf6b24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"no action\">no action<\/a>, and Fulton County began processing votes soon after polls closed Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p>Fulton County Elections Superintendent Nadine Williams said the county has streamlined check-in procedures, consolidated polling sites, and introduced additional police escorts and memory card uploaders to make its elections more transparent and efficient.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are dedicated to continually enhancing our processes despite the false claims and misinformation circulated by detractors,\u201d she said. \u201cOur goal remains to ensure that every election is conducted with the utmost integrity and accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Primaries are not as big of a strain as a general election, with lower turnout and, in the case of Willis and McAfee, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3011365\/georgia-election-fani-willis-trump-judge-mcafee-win\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"lopsided results\">lopsided results<\/a>, but the quick calls do portend good things for this fall, according to Kennesaw State University political science professor Kerwin Swint.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe old joke with Fulton County is that they are so late getting their results in because they didn\u2019t know how many votes they needed until election night,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it has been an absolute mess in recent years.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis celebrates with supporters after winning reelection in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Buckhead, Georgia. (AP Photo\/Brynn Anderson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He sees brighter things in the future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI do expect things to be better and more coordinated for Georgia this time around,\u201d Swint said. \u201cThat\u2019s largely because there won\u2019t be a flood of unplanned-for mail-in ballots, and there will be more days of early voting. So, hopefully, the election will be smoother with earlier reporting of results. That\u2019s mostly due to legislative changes since 2020. Fulton County may benefit from that. It may not be due to actions taken on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump was a major critic of Fulton County and Georgia voting following his narrow loss in 2020, creating a saga that is still playing out in the state. <\/p>\n<p>Even the county\u2019s fast returns this week prompted some criticism.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFulton County apparently can count votes quickly when it wants to,\u201d <em>Townhall<\/em> columnist Phil Holloway <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PhilHollowayEsq\/status\/1793064391073530011\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"posted\">posted<\/a> on X. \u201cThe Democrat primary is called for #FaniWillis a mere 30 minutes after polls closed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Georgia laws passed since 2020 are designed to speed up reporting, with elections superintendents required to report returns of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wisconsins-illegal-ballot-dropbox-operation-further-proves-2020-was-not-most-secure-election-in-history\/\" title=\"Wisconsin\u2019s Illegal Ballot Dropbox Operation Further Proves 2020 Was Not \u2018Most Secure Election In History\u2019\">verified absentee ballots<\/a> by 5 p.m. the day after the election. Mail-in ballots must be received by the time polls close on election day, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/infographic-the-states-that-changed-mail-in-voting-rules-for-2022\/\" title=\"INFOGRAPHIC: The States That Changed Mail-In Voting Rules for 2022\">absentee ballot processing<\/a> can begin three weeks before an election, though actual votes are not counted until polls close.<\/p>\n<p>It was other aspects of the laws that drew criticism, particularly a provision that gifts couldn\u2019t be handed out to voters standing in line. President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Joe Biden<\/a> mentioned that controversy during an Atlanta speech on Sunday, prompting a response from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s 2024,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re still dealing with lies about Georgia\u2019s election from the left &#038; right. Once again, Georgia doesn\u2019t have lines. Biden owes our election officials an apology &#038; focus on the real issues \u2014 this damn inflation that is hitting hard-working Georgians.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div>\n<blockquote data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s 2024. I can\u2019t believe we\u2019re still dealing with lies about Georgia\u2019s election from the left &#038; right. Once again, Georgia doesn\u2019t have lines. Biden owes our election officials an apology &#038; focus on the real issues \u2013 this damn inflation that is hitting hard-working Georgians. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ENRnYNcx9t\">https:\/\/t.co\/ENRnYNcx9t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (@GaSecofState) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GaSecofState\/status\/1792385071069979027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Raffensperger\u2019s office said it was proud of its performance this week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis primary was a success, and the results reported quickly, thanks to the millions of dollars of technological upgrades and infrastructure improvements put in place by Secretary Raffensperger as part of his commitment to providing the most accessible and secure election possible for the voters of Georgia,\u201d spokesman Robert Sinners said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>With more than five months before the general election, officials in Georgia and beyond are hoping for a repeat performance on Nov. 5.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI do think that voters in Georgia should feel very confident about the processes and the likelihood that election results from Fulton County and statewide will be reported as quickly as possible,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fulton County DA Fani Willis made headlines at her victory party by addressing supporters less than two hours after polls closed. Just before 9 p.m. Eastern time, she hinted at celebrating with Grey Goose after her primary win, sparking buzz about the memorable event<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2635,"featured_media":2252007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24143061562755.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2252006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24143061562755.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2252006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2635"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2252006"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2252006\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2252007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2252006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2252006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2252006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}