{"id":2326676,"date":"2024-08-19T09:38:53","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T13:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-georgias-elections-board-require-paper-ballots\/"},"modified":"2024-08-19T09:47:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T13:47:10","slug":"can-georgias-elections-board-require-paper-ballots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-georgias-elections-board-require-paper-ballots\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Georgia\u2019s Elections Board Require Paper Ballots?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/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%2Fcan-georgias-elections-board-require-paper-ballots%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=2326676&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>On August\u200d 19, the Georgia \u200cState Election\u200d Board (SEB), which has a Republican majority, will vote on a proposal to transition \u200cto hand-marked paper \u200bballots for elections. This initiative has received support from some bipartisan activists who argue it\u2062 could enhance \u2064election\u200d security and avoid\u2063 issues experienced in the contentious 2020 election. However, \u200dopinions\u2062 are divided; some \u200celection\u200b integrity\u200b advocates claim \u200dthe \u200bSEB\u2062 lacks the authority to mandate paper ballots, although local supervisors\u200d already have\u2063 the option to use them.<\/p>\n<p>Former President Donald \u2063Trump has \u2062consistently voiced his support for such \u2062changes, recently reiterating his stance for paper ballots at\u200c public events. Currently, Georgia voters use \u2062touchscreen\u200d machines that \u2062generate a paper summary, yet experts warn these systems are vulnerable. \u200cActivists are pushing for\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-grassroots-groups-can-increase-voter-confidence-in-an-age-of-glitchy-machines\/\" title=\"Empowering Grassroots Efforts to Boost Voter Trust Amid Technology Glitches\">hand-marked ballots<\/a> \u200cdue to these \u2064ongoing security concerns, especially as \u200cvulnerabilities will not \u200dbe resolved before \u2063the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n<p>The SEB previously\u2063 rejected a comprehensive proposal to \u200cimplement\u200b hand-marked ballots, citing legal concerns\u2063 about their authority to legislate on the matter. Advocates maintain that the law allows for paper ballots if electronic systems\u200d are deemed unsafe, emphasizing that this \u2062would be \u2063a precautionary \u200bstep to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/progressive-policies-need-to-be-fought-off-by-states-rep-steube\/\" title=\"Progressive Policies Need to Be Fought Off by States: Rep. Steube\">ensure election integrity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A new, more \u2063concise proposal has been submitted for the SEB&#8217;s consideration, aimed at \u200bestablishing a \u2064temporary rule for \u2064hand-marked ballots until the \u2064issues with the current system \u2062are addressed. This \u200dproposal aims \u200dto\u2064 balance the\u200c immediate need\u2063 for secure voting while adhering\u200d to legal frameworks. Meanwhile, the SEB will also \u2064consider a \u200bsimilar\u200b proposal from a local activist group, reflecting the\u2062 ongoing\u2063 debate over voting methods in Georgia.  <\/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>On Monday, Aug. 19, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) &mdash; which has a majority of Republican members &mdash; will have a final opportunity to vote on a proposal to move the state to hand-marked ballots. It&rsquo;s a proposal that some bipartisan activists say could save the state&rsquo;s election from high risk and potentially avoid some of the issues that plagued the 2020 election. <\/p>\n<p>Other election integrity activists say the law doesn&rsquo;t give the SEB the authority to require paper ballots, while it does already allow local election supervisors to adopt them. In addition, the pending Curling v. Raffensperger case could result in the court declaring the state&rsquo;s election system constitutionally deficient, forcing the key swing state to use hand-marked paper ballots.<\/p>\n<p>Moving to paper ballots is the type of proposal that former President Donald Trump has expressed support for on numerous occasions, including at a recent Atlanta rally in which he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3PiBxnQgNrs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> moving to &ldquo;paper ballots&rdquo; would be ideal. He reiterated his support for hand-marked ballots during an event on Thursday at his Bedminster golf club, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3123391\/top-five-takeaways-trump-press-conference-bedminster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">where he said<\/a>, &ldquo;We should have one<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-five-takeaways-from-trump-press-conference-at-bedminster-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Top five takeaways from Trump press conference at Bedminster- Washington Examiner\">-day voting paper ballots<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Federalist inquired with the Trump campaign as to whether the former president supports this particular proposal in a state in which he narrowly lost a race that was fraught with irregularities and miscounts. We did not receive a response at the time of publication.<\/p>\n<p>Georgia voters currently cast their vote on a touchscreen, which then prints out a paper summary that includes a QR code. But the system is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/news-events\/ics-advisories\/icsa-22-154-01\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vulnerable<\/a>, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/coaltionforgoodgovernance.sharefile.com\/share\/view\/s44dec3c27ada46c2ada04bb74b7e7924\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">experts<\/a> &mdash; and it&rsquo;s a problem that Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/06\/14\/politics\/dominion-voting-georgia-vulnerabilities-2024\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aware<\/a> of for at least three years.<\/p>\n<p>Since the vulnerabilities have yet to be fixed &mdash; and won&rsquo;t be until <em>after<\/em> the November election &mdash; a group of bipartisan activists have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/activists-ga-board-has-one-more-chance-to-safeguard-elections\/\" title=\"Activists: GA Board Has One More Chance To Safeguard Elections\">put forward proposals requiring<\/a> the state to return to hand-marked ballots. As Morgan County Democrat Party Chairwoman Jeanne Dufort <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/05\/local-democrats-urge-georgia-to-return-to-hand-marked-ballots-echoing-conservatives-concerns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously explained<\/a> to The Federalist, &ldquo;the only component that changes is in the voting station. &hellip; The voter will be handed a paper ballot and a sharpie and they will mark their ballot before going over to a scanner and everything else will flow in the exact same way it has in elections since we adopted the system.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Dufort further told The Federalist that &ldquo;the legislature mandates using the touchscreens to mark ballots only when they can be used safely, and otherwise use hand marked ballots until the unsafe situation is resolved &mdash; we want the State Election Board to apply the facts to the law.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>A &ldquo;comprehensive&rdquo; version of the proposal, as described by Executive Director of the Coalition for Good Governance Marilyn Marks, was shot down by the board during their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rBiqOdOiD9s&amp;t=31683s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aug. 6 meeting<\/a>. Members of the board expressed concern that by adopting the proposal, they would be legislating rather than creating rules &ldquo;within the confines of the law,&rdquo; as board member Janelle King explained.<\/p>\n<p>Garland Favorito of VoterGa.org told The Federalist the SEB lacks the authority to demand hand-marked paper ballots because <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/georgia\/2010\/title-21\/chapter-2\/article-9\/part-2\/21-2-334\/\">state law<\/a> stipulates superintendents, not the SEB, &ldquo;may arrange to have the voting for such candidates or offices or for such questions conducted by paper ballots&rdquo; if the &ldquo;voting machines&rdquo; are deemed &ldquo;wholly or in part&hellip;not practicable.&rdquo; In Georgia election law, &ldquo;superintendents&rdquo; means <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-kraken-released-attorney-sidney-powell-files-104-page-bombshell-complaint-of-massive-fraud-in-georgia-election-update-michigan-too\/\" title=\"BREAKING: KRAKEN RELEASED! Attorney Sidney Powell Files 104 Page BOMBSHELL COMPLAINT of Massive Fraud in Georgia Election - Update: Michigan too\">county election boards<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Superintendents are already authorized to consider anything in determining whether or not an emergency exists,&rdquo; including paper ballots, Favorito tells The Federalist.<\/p>\n<p>Marks points to <a href=\"https:\/\/rules.sos.ga.gov\/gac\/183-1-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a rule<\/a> that says election superintendents shall have a &ldquo;sufficient number of blank paper ballots&rdquo; in the event of an &ldquo;emergency.&rdquo; The law also states that if an &ldquo;emergency situation makes utilizing the electronic ballot markers impossible or impracticable,&rdquo; then the poll officer shall issue paper ballots to voters instead.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;All we&rsquo;re doing here is saying, &lsquo;Well, in addition to when the power goes out or the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL8BRtSP0gY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lines are long<\/a>, if the system has been compromised, or if you cannot otherwise meet the law, then that&rsquo;s one other condition that you go to [hand-marked ballots],&#8217;&rdquo; she said.<\/p>\n<p>These proposals argue that the SEB should require the state&rsquo;s backup balloting system (hand-marked paper ballots) to be used to conduct the November election to mitigate the known vulnerabilities in the current touchscreen system.<\/p>\n<p>Since the board rejected the original, &ldquo;comprehensive&rdquo; proposal Marks put forward, she has submitted a new, slimmed-down temporary version for consideration during Monday&rsquo;s meeting. This version, provided to The Federalist, would sunset in July 2026. Marks explained in an email to the SEB ahead of Monday&rsquo;s vote that the temporary rule &ldquo;is designed to operate under the long-standing statute for the immediate future when the voting system is impractical or improper to use for a specific reason related to specified conditions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Favorito contends, however, that &ldquo;O.C.G.A. 21-2-334 gives exclusive authority to county election boards and a temporary SEB rule is legally prohibited from operating under that statute.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Marks further explained the temporary rule is, in part, &ldquo;in response to the specific vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA.&rdquo; The temporary rule requires the current touchscreen system be used once again when the vulnerabilities have been &ldquo;mitigated.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The president of America First Tea Party, Debbie Dooley, is proposing a similar SEB rule that would require hand-marked ballots, so the board has the opportunity to hear both proposals. A VoterGa <a href=\"https:\/\/voterga.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/GA-State-Election-Board-Aug-19-2024-Rules-Overview.pdf\">analysis<\/a> (p. 8) notes both the Dooley and Marks proposals also &ldquo;Require[] pre-printed ballots instead of allowing full Ballot on Demand printing,&rdquo; which creates more difficulties for election supervisors. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Secretary of State has had ample time to install the [security] patches to correct the vulnerability,&rdquo; Dooley said in a statement to The Federalist. &ldquo;They chose not to. Too many people feel that their vote doesn&rsquo;t count. The SEB has the power and duty to have Georgia conduct a fair, accurate and verifiable election with their vote on Monday.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Dooley&rsquo;s proposal argues the SEB has the authority to do so, but Favorito and several SEB members disagree. Favorito also said <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/seb-petition_dooley.pdf\">Dooley&rsquo;s petition<\/a> does not mandate paper ballots, only asking county election boards to &ldquo;consider&rdquo; them. The petition states, in part: &ldquo;For elections conducted prior to July 1, 2026, superintendents are specifically authorized to consider the June 3, 2022 Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory regarding the Dominion ICX units in determining that an emergency situation exists which merits the use of emergency ballots.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>SEB member Dr. Janice Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL8BRtSP0gY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expressed skepticism<\/a> during the meeting that SEB has the legal authority to move the state to hand-marked ballots. Should the board vote in favor of either proposal, it would then go to the rulemaking process.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article has been updated since publication.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Monday, August 19, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB), which is predominantly composed of Republican members, will have a final chance to vote on a proposal to transition the state to hand-marked ballots. Some bipartisan activists argue that this change could reduce risks in the electoral process and help prevent issues similar to those experienced during the 2020 election. However, other election integrity advocates contend that current law does not empower the SEB to mandate paper ballots; instead, it allows local election officials to implement them if they choose. Additionally, the ongoing Curling v. Raffensperger case may lead a court ruling that declares Georgia&#8217;s election system constitutionally inadequate, potentially necessitating a switch to hand-marked paper ballots in this crucial swing state.<\/p>\n<p>Former President Donald Trump has frequently voiced his support for moving towards paper ballots, including at a recent rally in Atlanta where he stated that such a shift would be ideal. He reiterated his stance on hand-marked ballots during an event at his Bedminster golf club last Thursday by advocating for &#8220;one-day voting with paper ballots.&#8221; The Federalist reached out to Trump&#8217;s campaign regarding whether he endorses this specific proposal in Georgia\u2014a state where he narrowly lost amid allegations of irregularities\u2014but did not receive a response before publication.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, voters in Georgia use touchscreens that print out paper summaries containing QR codes after casting their votes. Experts have raised concerns about vulnerabilities within this system\u2014issues known by Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for over three years. As these vulnerabilities remain unaddressed and will not be resolved until after November&#8217;s elections, bipartisan activists are proposing measures requiring the return to hand-marked ballots.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan County Democrat Party Chairwoman Jeanne Dufort explained previously that under their proposal, voters would receive paper ballots and mark them with sharpies before scanning them\u2014maintaining existing procedures otherwise unchanged since adopting electronic systems.<\/p>\n<p>Dufort further emphasized that legislation mandates using touchscreens only when deemed safe; otherwise, hand-marked ballots should be utilized until safety concerns are addressed\u2014urging the SEB to align its actions with legal facts.<\/p>\n<p>A more comprehensive version of Marks&#8217; proposal was rejected by board members during their August 6 meeting due to concerns about overstepping legislative boundaries rather than adhering strictly within legal frameworks as articulated by board member Janelle King.<\/p>\n<p>Garland Favorito from VoterGa.org argued against SEB&#8217;s authority over mandating hand-marked paper ballots based on state law which designates county superintendents as responsible for determining voting methods when machines are impractical or unsafe.<\/p>\n<p>Marks pointed out existing regulations requiring sufficient blank paper ballot supplies during emergencies and suggested expanding these conditions beyond power outages or long lines if system integrity is compromised.<\/p>\n<p>The proposals advocate for utilizing backup balloting systems (hand-marked papers) during November elections as safeguards against known touchscreen vulnerabilities. Following rejection of her original comprehensive plan by the board, Marks has submitted a streamlined temporary version set for consideration at Monday\u2019s meeting; it would expire in July 2026 and aims at operating under established statutes when electronic systems prove impractical due specifically confirmed vulnerabilities identified by CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency).<\/p>\n<p>Favorito maintains however that O.C.G.A. 21-2-334 grants exclusive authority solely unto county boards regarding such matters while temporary rules from SEB cannot operate outside those parameters.<\/p>\n<p>Debbie Dooley from America First Tea Party has proposed similar regulations requiring hand-marked ballot usage so both proposals can be evaluated together by SEB members.<\/p>\n<p>Dooley criticized Secretary of State\u2019s failure over time addressing security patches needed against identified vulnerabilities stating many citizens feel disenfranchised believing their votes do not count; she urged SEB\u2019s responsibility towards ensuring fair elections through decisive action taken on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>While Dooley asserts authority exists within SEB\u2019s purview concerning her petition calling merely upon county boards\u2019 consideration rather than outright mandates favoring traditional methods instead according Favorito who also noted skepticism expressed among some board members regarding legality surrounding transitioning back toward exclusively using marked-paper options should any proposals pass leading into rulemaking processes thereafter.<\/p>\n<p>This article has been updated since its initial publication date.<\/p>\n<p>Author Brianna Lyman serves as an elections correspondent at The Federalist having graduated Fordham University specializing International Political Economy whose work appears across various platforms including Newsmax Fox News Fox Business RealClearPolitics follow her updates via X: @briannalyman2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2326677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/291772635_9462319fcf_k-e1723834760785.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[6571,4977,38539,33790],"class_list":["post-2326676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-elections","tag-georgia","tag-paper-ballots","tag-voter-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/291772635_9462319fcf_k-e1723834760785.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326676","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\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2326676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2326677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2326676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2326676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2326676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}