Georgia Election Board Reprimands Fulton County, Orders Independent Monitor for 2024 Elections

The Georgia Election Board voted on Tuesday to reprimand Fulton County and appoint an independent monitor for the 2024 election, citing violations of state law during the recount of the 2020 presidential election.

In a 2-1 vote, the panel overseeing county election operations agreed to admonish Fulton County and order a monitor for this year's campaigns. This action allows the county to avoid paying a fine or having the attorney general investigate the double-counting of 3,075 ballots and other alleged irregularities during the 2020 presidential recount.

According to state officials, while mistakes were made by county election workers in 2020, these errors would not have altered the outcome. Democrat Joe Biden narrowly defeated Republican nominee Donald Trump by nearly 12,000 votes in Georgia.

The investigation found 3,075 duplicate ballot images, but officials were unable to determine how many of those invalid ballots were included in the results used to certify the 2020 election. The case revolves around apparent discrepancies between the initial recount totals in November 2020 and the corrected totals released a day later by Fulton County.

Fulton County officials acknowledged failures to properly back up data to servers during the recount, attributing the discrepancy to the mishandling of ballot batches. Changes have since been implemented to separate ballots once scanned.

If the state election and Fulton officials fail to agree on an independent monitor, the Election Board member Ed Lindsey Jr. recommended referring the case to the state attorney general in July.

Why It Matters:

The decision by the Georgia Election Board aims to address concerns over election irregularities in Fulton County during the 2020 presidential recount. By appointing an independent monitor for the 2024 elections, the board hopes to ensure transparency and restore public confidence in the county's electoral processes. However, the reprimand and monitor appointment fell short of more severe punitive measures sought by some Republican voters, reflecting the ongoing tensions surrounding the 2020 election results.

Key Takeaways:

• Fulton County was reprimanded for violating state law during the 2020 presidential election recount.
• An independent monitor will be appointed to oversee the 2024 elections in Fulton County.
• The decision allows Fulton County to avoid fines or further investigation by the attorney general.
• Officials found 3,075 duplicate ballot images but could not determine how many were tabulated.
• Fulton County acknowledged failures in properly backing up data during the 2020 recount.