{"id":2343469,"date":"2024-09-19T15:08:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T19:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ga-sos-office-urges-lawfare-if-elections-arent-rubber-stamped\/"},"modified":"2024-09-19T15:09:41","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T19:09:41","slug":"ga-sos-office-urges-lawfare-if-elections-arent-rubber-stamped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ga-sos-office-urges-lawfare-if-elections-arent-rubber-stamped\/","title":{"rendered":"GA SOS Office Urges Lawfare If Elections Aren\u2019t Rubber-Stamped"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fga-sos-office-urges-lawfare-if-elections-arent-rubber-stamped%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=2343469&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>In a recent discussion, Gabe Sterling, the chief \u200coperating officer of\u2063 Georgia&#8217;s\u2063 Secretary of\u200b State&#8217;s office, emphasized the \u200bnecessity for every jurisdiction to prepare for \u2062potential legal \u2062actions against\u2064 election officials who may hesitate \u2063to certify election results. He described the certification process as \u201cministerial,\u201d meaning officials should essentially approve the results regardless \u200dof minor discrepancies. He \u200bhighlighted a new state rule\u2064 allowing\u2063 county election boards to review election materials before certifying results, which he believes should not cause delays. Sterling expressed concern that some officials might resist \u200bcertification for slight discrepancies, urging jurisdictions\u2062 to adopt a \u200clegal strategy (referred to as lawfare) to enforce certification and prevent individuals from \u2064obstructing the process. <\/p>\n<p>This sentiment \u200bechoes\u2063 actions taken by the \u2063Democratic National Committee, which has filed a lawsuit against the new rules aimed at ensuring prompt certification of elections. Secretary \u200cof State \u2063Brad Raffensperger\u200b criticized these\u2064 attempts, arguing they threaten \u200delection integrity. Meanwhile, \u2064supporters of the new rules assert that\u200c they do \u2063not alter the timelines for certification processes.  <\/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>The chief operating officer of Georgia&rsquo;s Secretary of State&rsquo;s office urged &ldquo;every jurisdiction&rdquo; to have a plan to threaten election officials with lawfare if they don&rsquo;t want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-threaten-gop-officials-into-certifying-elections-or-else\/\" title=\"Dems Threaten GOP Officials Into Certifying Elections Or Else\">rubber-stamp election results<\/a> (even if the results are &ldquo;off by one or two&rdquo;).<\/p>\n<p>The executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, David Becker, asked Gabe Sterling on Monday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vZTUPPAPQQg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to detail<\/a> &ldquo;what might happen&rdquo; if someone was &ldquo;successful in delaying or denying certification [of election results].&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sterling first argued that certification of an election is &ldquo;ministerial&rdquo; &mdash; meaning board members must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-ga-county-should-rubber-stamp-elections-no-questions\/\" title=\"Dems: GA County Should Rubber-Stamp Elections, No Questions\">effectively rubber-stamp election results<\/a> despite their concerns &mdash; before rebuking newly passed rules that clarify county election board members can have access to election-related materials before certification. <\/p>\n<p>The Georgia State Election Board (SEB) recently <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/08\/georgia-elections-board-confirms-officials-right-to-reasonable-inquiry-before-certifying-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed a rule<\/a> (Rule 183-1-12-.02) that <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-07\/Notice%20of%20Proposed%20Rulemaking%20-%20183-1-12-.02.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">clarifies<\/a> county election boards can fulfill their certification responsibility &ldquo;after reasonable inquiry that the tabulation and canvassing of the election are complete and accurate and that the results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast in that election.&rdquo; The SEB passed a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/16\/georgia-board-to-vote-on-requiring-number-of-ballots-cast-to-equal-number-of-voters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">separate rule<\/a> (Rule 183-1-12-.12) that <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-07\/notice_of_proposed_rulemaking_183_1_12_12_1_v2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">permits<\/a> board members to review &ldquo;all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kemp-consults-ag-about-removing-gop-election-board-members\/\" title=\"Kemp Consults AG About Removing GOP Election Board Members\">election related documentation created<\/a> during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This idea that they have to have more and more and more paper information at the end of the process even though they&rsquo;ve been a part of the process the entire time is a little, you know, disconcerting that people don&rsquo;t understand the role,&rdquo; Sterling said.<\/p>\n<p>Sterling then said that a county board member will &ldquo;look at the reconciliations and they basically say, &lsquo;Yes, this lines up.&rsquo; And sometimes &mdash; and we all know this, there are human beings involved in every part of this &mdash; and sometimes you&rsquo;re going to be off by one or two [ballots] inside a polling location. Usually it&rsquo;s [a] provisional [ballot] that wasn&rsquo;t taken account of properly, but you don&rsquo;t have the time, especially in our window &mdash; They have to, normally it would be Nov. 11 for the certification under our law this year; but that&rsquo;s a federal and state holiday for Veterans Day, so it&rsquo;s going to be 5:00 p.m. on November 12.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But Sterling insisted that if a county or a board member does not want to rubber-stamp election results that could &ldquo;be off by one or two&rdquo; ballots, then &ldquo;every jurisdiction&rdquo; should think about how to use lawfare to coerce the county or board members to rubber-stamp the results anyway.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;One of the things I encourage every jurisdiction to do: Don&rsquo;t think you&rsquo;re immune; think through a plan for an individual who has standing inside that county to sue for writ of mandamus,&rdquo; Sterling said. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be coy. Basically say, &lsquo;If you try to do this, we&rsquo;re gonna bring the powers of the courts against you.&rsquo; And in some states, I know this can be criminal, and there are real consequences to individuals on this. I&rsquo;m not saying swing a club around, but say, &lsquo;We will use everything within our power to make this happen,&rsquo; and there are those who think they can magically hold up everything by one county. &hellip; The courts won&rsquo;t allow for that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sterling said the state has &ldquo;game-planned&rdquo; this scenario out and has a team of lawyers ready.<\/p>\n<p>Using lawfare to force board members to blindly certify results with no questions asked is a tactic already being deployed by Democrats. The Democratic National Committee and Georgia Democrats recently <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/28\/dems-want-ga-county-officials-to-rubber-stamp-elections-no-questions-asked-dnc-suit-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filed<\/a> a suit against the rules, arguing that certifying an election is ministerial and that the new rules would delay certification.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/news\/raffensperger-defends-georgias-election-integrity-act-last-minute-changes-delaying-election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">condemned<\/a> &ldquo;misguided attempts by the State Election Board&rdquo; that he claimed &ldquo;will delay election results and undermine chain of custody safeguards.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But Cobb County GOP Chairwoman Salleigh Grubbs, who proposed Rule 183-1-12-.12, tells <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/28\/dems-want-ga-county-officials-to-rubber-stamp-elections-no-questions-asked-dnc-suit-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Federalist<\/a> her rule never changed the certification deadline.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you actually read the rule, you&rsquo;ll see there&rsquo;s nothing in there that would delay certification,&rdquo; Grubbs said. Instead, Grubbs <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/16\/georgia-board-to-vote-on-requiring-number-of-ballots-cast-to-equal-number-of-voters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>, the proposals &ldquo;create uniform guidance&rdquo; for election officials to follow during the certification process.<\/p>\n<p>SEB member Janelle King, who voted to approve both rules, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/28\/dems-want-ga-county-officials-to-rubber-stamp-elections-no-questions-asked-dnc-suit-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told The Federalist<\/a> that the rules strengthen the certification process because they ensure &ldquo;that every County election board member has access to all election-related documentation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats also launched what was described as an <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/georgia-gov-consults-state-ag-about-removing-gop-election-board-members-after-dems-wage-intimidation-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">intimidation campaign<\/a> to oust the three Republican SEB board members for approving the rules. The complaint asked Gov. Brian Kemp to remove the members, with Kemp&rsquo;s office releasing a statement saying the governor had &ldquo;sought the Attorney General&rsquo;s advice&rdquo; regarding the complaint.<\/p>\n<p><em>For more election news and updates, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/electionbriefing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">electionbriefing.com<\/a><\/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>The Chief Operating Officer of Georgia&#8217;s Secretary of State&#8217;s office has called on &#8220;every jurisdiction&#8221; to devise a strategy for using legal threats against election officials who refuse to approve election results, even if those results are only slightly inaccurate. On Monday, David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, asked Gabe Sterling to explain the potential consequences if someone successfully delays or refuses to certify election results. Sterling initially contended that certifying an election is a &#8220;ministerial&#8221; duty\u2014implying that board members must essentially accept the results regardless of their reservations\u2014before criticizing new regulations that allow county election board members access to election-related documents prior to certification.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) established a rule (Rule 183-1-12-.02) clarifying that county boards can fulfill their certification duties after ensuring through reasonable inquiry that all tabulation and canvassing processes are complete and accurate. Another rule (Rule 183-1-12-.12) permits board members to review all documentation related to elections before certifying results. Sterling expressed concern over the notion that more paperwork is needed at the end of this process when board members have been involved throughout.<\/p>\n<p>He explained how a county board member would typically verify reconciliations by confirming alignment with expected outcomes but acknowledged human error could lead to discrepancies in ballot counts due to factors like provisional ballots not being accounted for correctly. He noted they have limited time for certification; this year it falls on November 12 due to Veterans Day.<\/p>\n<p>Sterling emphasized that if any county or board member hesitates in approving potentially flawed results, then &#8220;every jurisdiction&#8221; should consider employing legal pressure tactics against them. He advised jurisdictions not to assume they are exempt from such actions and suggested preparing plans for individuals within counties who might file lawsuits aimed at compelling compliance with certification processes.<\/p>\n<p>He mentioned having legal teams ready for such scenarios while pointing out Democrats have already begun using similar tactics against Republican officials regarding these rules. The Democratic National Committee and Georgia Democrats recently filed suit challenging these regulations on grounds they would hinder timely certifications.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger criticized what he termed &#8220;misguided attempts&#8221; by SEB which he claimed could delay elections and compromise security protocols. However, Cobb County GOP Chairwoman Salleigh Grubbs argued her proposed rule did not alter any deadlines but instead provided consistent guidance during certification procedures.<\/p>\n<p>SEB member Janelle King supported both rules as enhancements ensuring every county election official has access to necessary documentation during certifications. Meanwhile, Democrats initiated efforts perceived as intimidation aimed at removing three Republican SEB members who approved these rules; Governor Brian Kemp\u2019s office stated he sought advice from the Attorney General regarding this complaint.<\/p>\n<p>For further updates on elections, visit electionbriefing.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2343470,"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\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-19-at-9.41.20-AM-e1726753396267-1024x576.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6571,41244,16727],"class_list":["post-2343469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-elections","tag-ga-sos","tag-lawfare"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-19-at-9.41.20-AM-e1726753396267-1024x576.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343469","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=2343469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2343470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2343469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2343469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2343469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}