ACLU of Georgia Condemns Rule Change by State Election Board

ATLANTA - Today, the State Election Board enacted a rule that could potentially hinder rather than support the existing accurate process to certify election results in Georgia. We are disturbed that the Board has made this unnecessary rule change that further burdens elections officials.

"State Election Board members who support this and previous rule changes are playing politics with our democratic process," said Andrea Young, executive director, ACLU of Georgia."We urge Georgia voters to make their voices heard at the ballot box. We are committed to ensuring that Georgians' votes are counted and certified according to the laws of our state."

"Proponents of this rule and ones like it claim they help ensure accurate elections, but instead they just complicate the process and plainly exceed the bounds of elections procedures. The role of a county elections superintendent is clear and limited: to certify election results, not to muddy the process with fictitious concerns of imagined fraud. The duty and scope of authority to certify is set by the legislature alone, and anything beyond this administrative requirement is an unlawful overreach." - Caitlin May, voting rights attorney, ACLU of Georgia.

"The voice of Georgians was clearly heard today yet the State Election Board chose to enact a rule that clearly went against the will of the majority of Georgians. Over 1,000 written public comments in opposition to the rules were submitted by ACLU of Georgia supporters. Many Georgians spoke at today's meeting and just two speakers voiced support for the new rules." - Rachel Lastinger, associate director, Voter Access Project, ACLU of Georgia.

Read our full comments to the board here.