FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 13, 2024
Proposed rule would establish standard procedures for counties to comply with existing mandates
Arlington, VA – Georgia’s Election Board is currently considering proposed rule 183-1-12-.12 to establish standard procedures for counties to comply with state law mandating “reconciliation” prior to certification of election results.
National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued the following statement:
“Reconciliation is already the law and Georgia must comply with it. This commonsense rule is perhaps the best and simplest thing that can be done to inspire the trust and confidence of voters between now and Election Day, and it could hardly advance a more straightforward method of ensuring that the number of voters matches the number of ballots.
“The rule’s opponents, who’ve had every opportunity to change the law, will dishonestly argue that reconciliation somehow disenfranchises voters when in fact the opposite is true. Complying with this law will protect the foundational, one person-one vote principle underpinning our democratic elections and guard against certification of inaccurate or erroneous results. Isn’t that what everyone wants?
“Voters should be confident that their vote matters, that it will be counted fairly and equally in elections that are secure and transparent, and that they can be comfortable with the outcomes whether their preferred candidate succeeds at the polls or not. They deserve nothing less.”
Currently, GA Code § 21-2-493(b) explicitly states that if the number of ballots exceeds the number of voters in any precinct, “such excess shall be deemed a discrepancy and palpable error and shall be investigated” prior to recording votes. This is just common sense.
The Election Transparency Initiative, a partnership between the American Principles Project (APP) and Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, was organized to combat federal H.R. 1 and H.R. 4 legislation and advocate for state-based election reforms that voters can trust.
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