Georgia Republican senators have recently put the spotlight on the Fulton County Board of Elections, calling into question their actions concerning the handling of absentee ballots. Senators Brandon Beach, John Albers, and Matt Brass have all expressed their concerns about the decisions made by the county's election officials without involving the Secretary of State or other elected bodies.
According to a Georgia State Senate Press Office release, Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism Chairman Brandon Beach took issue with the opening of four government buildings for the collection of absentee ballots after a prolonged early voting period. Running counter to the expectations of the General Assembly and the principles of free and fair elections, he stated, "This decision raises serious questions regarding the chain of custody of ballots, posing a threat to transparency in our elections. We must do everything we can to promote trust among the electorate. The recent actions of the Fulton County Board of Elections have eroded that trust."
Senator John Albers addressed the issue of election observers and poll watchers being denied access, which he deemed a violation of legal requirements. He highlighted that unelected Fulton election workers communicated among themselves that they were not allowed to have observers, which undermined the law and reduced transparency. Albers expressed serious concerns about unelected interim workers making decisions without proper approvals.
Albers and his colleagues are actively communicating with the Secretary of State's office and legal counsel to address these concerns. Senator Matt Brass emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that "Transparency on the front end of the election process is how to prevent confusion on the back end. Our state laws are designed to do just that and must be followed, Fulton County is no exception" in the same release.
While the senators are clearly demanding transparency, they have not yet specified the concrete steps to address the election board's actions. The situation is ongoing, and the senators intend to monitor developments closely.
