Raffensperger Creates Task Force to Address Absentee Ballot Fraud
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has created an Absentee Ballot Fraud Task Force to ensure no one undermines the integrity of the vote in Georgia during this time of crisis. Secretary Raffensperger has selected experts in election administration, investigation, and prosecution from around the state of Georgia to demonstrate that he takes voter fraud concerns seriously. As Georgia goes through a time of upheaval and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Raffensperger will fight aggressively to provide Georgians with a vote that is secure, safe, and reliable.
“The people of Georgia have the right to a secure, safe, and reliable vote,” said Raffensperger. “In times of crisis and change, scams and deceit multiply. The Absentee Ballot Fraud Task Force features some of the state’s premier law enforcement experts, who will assist our office as we investigate any allegations or instances of potential voter fraud. The integrity of the voting process is the bedrock of our democracy, and we will work tirelessly to ensure it is not violated.”
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the people of Georgia and the country to rethink how they live their daily lives. Though around 95 percent of Georgians have voted in person in the past, the realities of COVID-19 will likely result in significantly more Georgians submitting absentee ballots by mail. Vote by absentee ballot is a great option during this time of crisis, but this significant change requires extra effort to preserve the integrity of the vote in Georgia. An increase in voting by mail brings with it the potential for increased voter fraud and ballot harvesting, both of which are against the law in Georgia.
To ensure the integrity of the absentee ballot process, Secretary Raffensperger has created the Absentee Ballot Fraud Task Force to assist the Secretary of State’s office in investigating allegations of and potential instances of absentee ballot fraud in the state of Georgia. Secretary Raffensperger has recruited a strong slate of individuals to build out this Task Force and help secure the vote in the state:
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Bobby Christine: Bobby Christine worked for a decade in the District Attorney’s Office in Augusta before being appointed a judge on the Columbia County Magistrate Court, where he served as Chief Magistrate from 2009-2012. On November 22, 2017, he was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump.
Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney Shannon Wallace: Shannon Wallace has served as District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit since January 2013. Prior to that, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit and in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, where she specialized in crimes against women and children.
Clayton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tasha Mosley: Tasha Mosley was named Clayton Judicial Circuit District Attorney by Governor Brian Kemp in October 2019. Mosley previously served as the Solicitor General for Clayton County, a position she had held since 2009.
Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brad Rigby: Brad Rigby became the District Attorney for the Cordele Judicial Circuit in March 2016. He previously served as Assistant District Attorney, a position he held since 2000, including serving as Chief ADA since 2013.
Dougherty Judicial Circuit District Attorney Greg Edwards: Greg Edwards was elected District Attorney for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in 2008. In 1990, Edwards was appointed Assistant District Attorney, appointed Chief Assistant District Attorney in 1995, and served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.
Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard: Stephanie Woodard was appointed Solicitor General for Hall County in December 2008. She previously worked in the Fulton County District Attorney’s office as Senior Assistant District Attorney, in the Carroll County District Attorney’s Office, in the DeKalb County Solicitor General’s Office, and in private practice representing individuals and small businesses in criminal and civil proceedings.
Cobb County Solicitor General Barry Morgan: Barry Morgan was appointed Solicitor General for Cobb County in 1998 by Governor Zell Miller and has been re-elected to that position six times. Prior to that, he served as a Cobb County Assistant District Attorney prosecuting narcotics and organized crime cases and as Chief Assistant Solicitor General.
Mountain Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Rosanna M. Szabo: Rosanna M. Szabo is an Assistant District Attorney in the Mountain Judicial Circuit. Rosanna has more than thirty years of prosecution experience including 12 years as Gwinnett County Solicitor General from 2007 to 2018. She has represented the State of Georgia in more than 300 criminal jury trials and more than 100 published appeals.
Jackson County Elections Supervisor Jennifer Logan: Jennifer Logan has served as the Elections and Voter Registration Director in Jackson County since April 2018, part of a five-year career working in elections in Georgia.
Glynn County Elections Supervisor Chris Channell: Chris Channell has served as the Glynn County Elections Supervisor since being appointed by the Glynn County Board of Elections in May 2019. He had been serving in as interim elections supervisor since December 2018. Channell worked extensively in local government and in elected positions in Kansas before coming to Georgia.
The task force will be led by Frances Watson, Chief Investigator in the Secretary of State’s office and assisted by Chris Harvey, Elections Director in the Secretary of State’s office
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Jessica Szilagyi
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Absentee ballot fraud in is really going to happen. Trump knows it instinctually, like hydroxychloroquine COVID-19 treatment, so Raffensperger had to do something..
Any takers it will be more than one-half of one percent of the 90,000 vote undercount in the 2018 Lt Gov race that Raffensperger couldn’t be bothered to investigate?
A smart political move, because when it turns out there were zero instances of fraud, you can pat yourself on the back for vigilance. and “aggressive efforts”. And if there are cases to prosecute, the same.
However, this Task Force looks to be more responsive (prosecutorial) than preventive. It remains unclear if there’s anything being done to assist local elections boards generally, or whether campaigns are given clear or helpful guidance (or warnings).
Additionally, it’s hard to tell because party affiliation is not listed, but based upon probabilities, this Force looks to be 92% Republican. Fine for loyalty, I suppose, and I also trust prosecutors to be fair-minded in their discretion, but would it really hurt to have a little more Dem representation? Maybe some folks from areas with known contentious partisan splits, like Gwinnett? I guess Cobb is represented. But nothing from three largest counties, I think.
I think it 84% GOP. Thanks for observation the appointed force is almost all prosecutors, despite “selected experts in elections administration” being listed first.
Mr. Channell became Supervisor less than a year ago, though he was interim for a few months before that. Ms Logan has been Supervisor for two years of her five year election experience. There’s a lot of depth there.
With elections in particular, you’d think that a balance of parties would provide the best optics. As is, it doesn’t give the best optics unless you are just aiming to please a % of one party’s base…