Giuliani derides Kemp and Raffensperger, praises Vernon Jones

News, Politics
Giuliani

ELLIJAY, Ga – Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) expressed that the country is at a “major crossroads” and it’s up to like-minded individuals to “preserve” it.

Giuliani’s officially endorsed gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones(R) in Georgia after experiencing a lack of leadership from incumbent Brian Kemp (R). The embattled former mayor and ex-Trump Attorney attempted to contact Kemp several times following the November 2020 election and claimed the Georgia governor never returned his calls.

He added that the Georgia legislature conducted the “Best job [of] investigating the [election] fraud” last December. A special session concerning election fraud wasn’t called in December, but the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate held separate hearings to hear from individuals who experienced inconsistencies during that election cycle.

A lawsuit is currently in the court system concerning possible election fraud in Fulton County.

Giuliani attended one of those hearings and presented the highly contested security footage from State Farm Arena that featured some Fulton County poll workers pulling ballots from underneath tables.

The Secretary of State’s office conducted multiple recounts following the election and maintain that the Georgia election was honest and fair. They found no evidence of significant fraud.

Two weeks ago, New York suspended Giuliani’s law license in large part to the ex-Trump attorney’s election claims.

Giuliani wasn’t satisfied with either Kemp of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) claiming they never analyzed the video and going so far as to call Raffensperger “a damn liar.”

He believes Vernon is the “right man for Georgia” with experience running a government office as an executive as well as a legislator. He added that Vernon “went through hell to be Republican” and the former Representative understands Trump’s vision.

Giuliani’s in the midst of his own trials and tribulations. A new book is claiming Giuliani told Trump to “just say we won” on election night. A move that reportedly infuriated Trump advisors. Giuliani’s stated that the claims were false and made by anti-Trumpers.

In April, Giuliani’s Manhattan home and office were raided by federal agents who seized computers and cell phones for an investigation into Trump’s business dealings. The former New York Mayor has stated they didn’t take the Hunter Biden laptop, however.

Hice calls Secretary of State Raffensperger’s performance “dismal”

News, Politics
Jody Hice endorsements

ELLIJAY, Ga – Tenth District Representative Jody Hice (R) addressed why he’s running for Secretary of State against incumbent Brad Raffensperger (R).

On Monday, Hice officially announced his candidacy and has been making his case ever since. He even earned former President Donald Trump’s endorsement shortly after his announcement.

Hice cited his work as the ranking member on House Oversight and Government Operations committees and trying to fight House Resolution One. The bill recently passed the House and moved to the Senate. The piece of legislation backed by Democrats addresses the voting process and voting rights. If passed, it would become the biggest overhaul in U.S. election law in a long time.

Congressman Hice claimed that the Democrats used the pandemic to change the way the country votes and mentioned how he urged Raffensperger to not mass mail ballot applications in Georgia. He blamed Raffensperger’s actions for leading to a” horrendous decaying of election integrity in Georgia.”

Hice added that the erosion of voter confidence led to the election of two Democrat Senators in Georgia. He stated that Georgia and the nation are “suffering because of the dismal performance by the Secretary of State.”

Raffensperger continues to stand by the 2020 election results and that the Secretary of State’s Office ran fair and honest elections. He leveled blame at Hice for spreading the election conspiracy and furthering voter mistrust.

Hice still believes that a thorough investigation would reverse the 2020 Presidential Election outcome and advocated for an unbiased audit of the Dominion voting machines.

Both Hice and David Belle Isle, Republican Secretary of State candidate, agreed that Dominion voting machines need to be investigated and Georgia should look into using different machines.

When asked if Trump is just using Hice to settle his score with Raffensperger, Hice called those stories false much like the story about Trump asking Raffensperger to overturn the election. The Congressman added that those stories are the Secretary of State Raffensperger’s narrative. Trump did ask Raffensperger to find 11,870 votes and he urged an investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County.

“Crisis of integrity and confidence” Belle Isle explains why he’s running for Secretary of State

News, Politics
David Belle Isle

ELLIJAY, Ga – David Belle Isle (R) took a minute to address why he’s running for Secretary of State even though the incumbent Republican intends to run for reelection.

Former Alpharetta Mayor and runner-up on the 2018 primary runoff for Secretary of State, Belle Isle supported candidate and eventual Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger until his actions in 2020. He called what happened in 2020 an “absolute disaster” citing the perceived dissolution of election integrity and voter confidence.

“As much as we want to find the right leaders,” Belle Isle remarked, “We can’t get there if we don’t have the ballot box right.”

Belle Isle wants to clean up the mess, mail-in ballots, and restore voter confidence.

Raffensperger has expressed his intentions to run again and that the facts state former President Donald Trump didn’t carry Georgia and when the truth is revealed people will understand. Belle Isle observed if Raffensperger can’t see the problem, then that’s “the reason he needs to go.”

The Secretary of State did hire a company, ProVMD to audit Dominion machines and that company primarily services Dominion. Raffensperger’s chief operating officer also left the office for a year to take a role at Dominion in 2020. Belle Isle believes these actions aided in the public distrust of the Dominion machines and wants to see if the state can get out of that contract.

David Belle Isle headshot

David Belle Isle

He also stressed that voter confidence has to be restored across the state. However, it will be up to the candidates to help people believe in the system since Raffensperger will be the Secretary of State overseeing the 2022 elections.

The former mayor isn’t a fan of policies Raffensperger implemented including signing the consent settlement agreement with Fair Fight. He promised to tear up the agreement if elected, adding that rejected ballots dropped to 0.3 percent in 2020. In the past, Georgia had a rejection rate of 3 percent.

As for former President Donald Trump endorsing Jody Hice (R – GA 10) candidacy for Secretary of State, Belle Isle commented that he’s always supported the President, but Trump’s never met him. He also believes he has the experience to run a multi-disciplined office like Secretary of State and that Trump would be impressed if he knew how Belle Isle ran Alpharetta and developed it.

“If presidential endorsements were always right, he’d be endorsing Raffensperger for the second time,” Belle Isle commented about the significance of endorsements.

Also, the decision is ultimately up to the voters of Georgia who will get to know the candidates.

Belle Isle has events scheduled across Georgia and is encouraged by the people reaching out to volunteer their time for his campaign.

Hice and Belle Isle enter the Georgia Secretary of State Race

Featured Stories, News
secretary of state race

ATLANTA – Fellow Republican and incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger will face primary competitors after 10th District Representative Jody Hice (R – Athens) and former Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle announced their candidacies.

Rumblings of Hice’s run began last week, and FYN previously informed the public to expect a statement from the Congressman.

primary Raffensperger georgia lawsuits

Current Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

In his press release, Hice called out Raffensperger for his “inaction” and creating “cracks in the integrity of our elections.”

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of our country. What Brad Raffensperger did was create cracks in the integrity of our elections, which I wholeheartedly believe individuals took advantage of in 2020. Though I am encouraged to see the General Assembly taking it upon themselves to address some of the glaring issues in our elections, Georgia deserves a Secretary of State who will own the responsibilities of the office. If elected, I will instill confidence in our election process by upholding the Georgia Constitution, enforcing meaningful reform and aggressively pursuing those who commit voter fraud.

Every Georgian, in fact every American, has the right to be outraged by the actions and, simultaneously, the inaction of our Secretary of State. Our state deserves a leader who steers clear of scandals and focuses on the incredibly important duties of the office. If elected, my top priority will be ensuring every Georgian’s legally cast ballot is counted in future elections. I am excited about our campaign and I know together we can renew integrity!” Hice said in a press release.

David Belle Isle

As for Belle Isle, he previously came in second in the Secretary of State primary. The former Alpharetta Mayor and attorney hopes to “fix the mess at the ballot box and restore voter confidence in Georgia.” He announced his campaign over the weekend.

See Belle Isle statement below:

“I am running for Secretary of State to clean up the mess, secure the mail-in ballot, and restore voter confidence,” said Belle Isle. “​In the recent elections, we witnessed voter suppression on a massive scale, triggered by voter uncertainty and made worse by the Secretary’s poor decisions, carelessness, and failure to lead. In the Senate runoff, thousands of Georgia voters chose to stay home rather than condone a process that appeared uninterested in the difference between valid votes and invalid votes. Raffensperger single-handedly bargained away our election integrity and skewered the credibility of our mail-in ballots,” Belle Isle continued. “Then, he looked us in the eye and told us that the 2020 election was the safest, most secure election in our history. It was not, and it’s time to hold the Secretary of State accountable.”

David points to the Compromise Settlement Agreement signed by Raffensperger and Stacy Abrams as the biggest obstacle to voter confidence and election integrity in Georgia. “The Compromise makes it very difficult for counties to reject invalid mail-in ballots, which likely resulted in thousands of invalid ballots being fully counted,” stated David. “The integrity of our State depends on the integrity of our elections. As Georgia’s next Secretary of State, I will reject the Compromise Settlement Agreement and work to better secure the mail-in ballot process. I will work to clean up the voter rolls and call for a true independent audit of Dominion. Most importantly, I will put fresh eyes on our entire election system, from top to bottom, with the goal of delivering to the people of Georgia fair and provable elections.”

Georgia has been the focus of national attention during the election process, and David believes there is a unique opportunity to demonstrate how common-sense conservatism can solve a state’s problems. “However,” he points out, “It won’t be easy. Conservatives are under attack. We are being banned, censored, and cancelled. Georgians know that our shared conservative values are at the heart of our State’s success. The way we lead and the policies we have championed have attracted new businesses and lured new citizens to our State. Yet, there is national pressure on our citizens to vote against the very principles that got us here.”

As we face our next election cycle, David knows that Republicans are seeking to support the right leaders who will help Georgians flourish. “Before those leaders can be successful however,” David emphasized, “we must fix the mess at the ballot box and restore voter confidence in Georgia.”

The Belle Isle campaign kick-off event is today, March 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Alpharetta City Park.

Party in-fighting erupts among Georgia Republicans

Feature News, Featured, Featured News, Featured Stories, News

ATLANTA, Ga – Republican Senators David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) trade barbs concerning the integrity of Georgia’s election process.

In a joint statement, Perdue and Loeffler requested the resignation of Raffensperger, citing “the management of Georgia’s elections has become an embarrassment for our state” and failure to deliver honest elections.

However, the statement lists zero evidence of voter fraud or specific examples of the Secretary of State’s election failures. The Georgia Republicans and Senators are both in separate January 5, 2021 runoffs. Perdue is facing Democrat challenger Jon Ossoff. Loeffler is in contention against Democrat Raphael Warnock.

The statement goes on to address that every legal vote should be counted and for transparency in the county process.
“We believe where there are failures, they need to be called out – even when it’s in your own party. There have been too many failures in Georgia elections this year and the most recent election shined a national light on the problems.”

The complete statement from Georgia Republicans and Senators Perdue and Loeffler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raffensperger’s Response

In a rebuttal statement, Raffensperger asserts that he has no intention of resigning, “the voters of Georgia hired me, and the voters will be the one to fire me.”

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R)

The Secretary of State lists the facts pertaining to the November 3 election and the days following. Almost five million Georgians cast ballots in this election. 75 percent voted in person, and 25 percent voted no-excuse absentee ballot. The no-excuse absentee law was passed by a Republican legislature with support from Speaker David Ralston and signed by then-Governor Sonny Perdue.

Senator Perdue received more votes from Georgians than President Trump, and the president garnered the most votes ever for the Republican presidential candidate in Georgia.

The Secretary of State’s office is and will be investigating any “specific allegations of illegal voting.” It also has a monitor in Fulton County, “one of the longtime problem Democrat-run counties.”

“I care about counting each and every legal vote… and assuring that illegal votes won’t be counted,” Raffensperger added.

He agrees that illegal voting probably occurred in Georgia, but not to the extent, or margin necessary, to change the presidential race outcome.

Concerning the lack of transparency charge, he directed attention to the daily, sometimes twice daily, press conferences and hourly number updates.

Raffensperger alludes to problems with federal law when it comes to maintaining “clean voter rolls.”

“Federal law, not state law, is what allows people to register to vote before a runoff even if they weren’t registered in for the general election. Now that Senators Perdue and Loeffler are concerned about elections, hopefully, they can fix these federal laws.”

Secretary of State ends with a promise to do his duty as an elected official and is concerned about Republicans maintaining the U.S. Senate. He suggests that Perdue and Loeffler “focus on that.”

Secretary of State unveils new absentee ballot request portal

News, Press Release
absentee ballots

ATLANTA-Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger unveils a new online portal to make it easier for Georgia voters to request absentee ballots for the November elections. Georgia voters with a driver’s license or state ID card will now be able to request an absentee ballot entirely online.

“Georgia is constantly searching for new and innovative ways to expand access to the ballot and uphold the integrity of the vote,” said Raffensperger. “We are encouraging Georgia voters who are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 threat to use our new online absentee ballot request portal to request absentee ballots safely and securely from their computers or phones. This new tool will help counties stay on top of the several million absentee ballot requests expected in November.”

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has developed a website that will allow Georgia voters to request an absentee ballot entirely online. Georgia voters will be able to request their ballot via the portal using their first and last name, date of birth, county where they are registered, and Georgia State ID or Georgia Driver’s License number. Voters will get a confirmation email that their request has been entered into the system. Also, voters can monitor their ballot status on My Voter Page.

The portal is available herehttp://www.securevotega.com/secureabsentee/

Absentee ballots requested for the November 2020 presidential election cannot be sent out before September 15.

In the past, Georgia voters had to download and print an absentee ballot request, then scan and email it or put it in the mail. This new portal saves voters effort and postage and will increase confidence that the request has been received by county elections officials. It also makes it easier and faster for county election official to process absentee ballot requests by minimizing the possibility of data entry errors.

While the State ID or driver’s license number provide a secure safeguard for requesting ballots, the ballots themselves will still be verified by matching the voter signature to their signature on file upon submission. A record 1.6 million absentee ballot requests were received for the June primary, inundating county elections officials. This portal will make processing the large number of absentee ballot requests expected for the November election easier for county election officials to process quickly and accurately.

Georgia Primary moves to June 9 after extension of public health emergency

Press Release, State & National
Georgia Primary

(ATLANTA) — Today, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that, pursuant to the authority vested in him by O.C.G.A. § 21-2-50.1, he is postponing the Statewide General Primary/Presidential Preference Primary Election until June 9, 2020.

Yesterday, Governor Brian Kemp extended the current public health state of emergency until May 13, 2020. Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Speaker of the House David Ralston concurred in the Governor’s extension of the state of emergency.

“Due to the Governor’s extension of the state of emergency through a time period that includes almost every day of in-person voting for an election on May 19, and after careful consideration, I am now comfortable exercising the authority vested in me by Georgia law to postpone the primary election until June 9,” said Secretary Raffensperger. “This decision allows our office and county election officials to continue to put in place contingency plans to ensure that voting can be safe and secure when in-person voting begins and prioritizes the health and safety of voters, county election officials, and poll workers.”

Throughout this crisis, the Secretary of State’s office has been in close contact with county election officials across the state. Over the past week, the reports of mounting difficulties from county election officials, particularly in Southwest Georgia, grew to a point where county election officials could not overcome the challenges brought on by COVID-19 in time for in-person voting to begin on April 27. Additionally, current modeling by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia will peak around April 24, only days before in-person voting was scheduled to begin. While challenges will certainly remain on June 9, these additional three weeks will give the Secretary of State’s office and counties time to shore up contingency plans, find and train additional poll workers, and procure supplies and equipment necessary to clean equipment and protect poll workers.

Emergency authority is something that should be exercised carefully, and moving an election should only take place in the rarest of circumstances. While Secretary Raffensperger previously expressed concern that he did not have the authority to move the primary election again, the Governor’s extension of the state of emergency to a time that includes almost every day of in-person voting for a May 19 election is sufficient to allow the Secretary to exercise the emergency authority given to him by O.C.G.A. § 21-2-50.1 and move the primary election to June 9.

“I certainly realize that every difficulty will not be completely solved by the time in-person voting begins for the June 9 election, but elections must happen even in less than ideal circumstances,” said Raffensperger. “Just like our brave healthcare workers and first responders, our county election officials and poll workers are undertaking work critical to our democracy, and they will continue to do this critical work with all the challenges that the current crisis has brought forth. This postponement allows us to provide additional protection and safety resources to county election officials, poll workers, and voters without affecting the November election.”

primary

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

The voter registration deadline for the June 9, 2020 election will be May 11, 2020. Early voting will begin on May 18, 2020. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 21-2-501, moving the primary election to June 9, 2020 will move the primary runoff to August 11, 2020.Pushing back the primary to June 9 gives Georgia election officials additional time to put in place contingency plans to allow for safe and secure voting, but pushing back the primary election any further could potentially have negative consequences on preparation for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Given existing deadlines to prepare and send ballots for the November election, particularly for military voters, moving forward on June 9 is the best way to ensure a successful election year in Georgia.

Absentee ballot applications for the upcoming primary election will continue to be accepted and processed by counties even if the application said May 19. Once county election officials properly verify the signature on the application, the voter will be sent an absentee ballot for the primary election now to be held on June 9.

BKP has a Live Call-in with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

State & National

@GaSecofState talks LIVE with #BKP. Voting by mail? How can voters be verified? @GovKemp has the ability to shut down the state but he can’t move the Primary? Raffensperger goes on record about moving forward with elections in Georgia. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65H13OkgTk0

Speaker Ralston asks Raffensperger to move Georgia Primary

Featured, News
ralston

ATLANTA, Ga – Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston (Ga -7) sent a letter to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) asking him to please move Georgia’s May 19th primary due to novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

In the letter, Ralston asserts that he would like the primary to be moved to a date of June 23 or later. He cites several other southern states that have already moved their May Primaries to June or July as a precautionary measure to keep the public safe.

An exert from the letter below:

“At the present time, our state, the entire nation and the world are confronted by a public health emergency of unprecedented magnitude.

Our prayer is that we will be on the other side of this difficult period sooner rather than later. However, the inescapable truth is that we do not know the duration of the immediate health peril. Reputable scientists and physicians cannot agree on its duration.

All of which means that the precautionary measures recommended by the CDC and adopted in executive order by Governor Kemp will continue for an unknown period of time.”

The Georgia Speaker of the House also addresses the right to vote as one of America’s “cherished freedoms” and it “should be free of impact from circumstances which create obstacles to its exercise.”

The May 19th primary puts Georgia over a month ahead of anyone else in the south.

View the full letter here. Secretary Raffensperger 3 26 2020

On Tuesday, March 24, Raffensperger announced that the Secretary of State’s Office would be mailing out absentee ballots to 6.9 Georgia voters for the May 19th primary. This was his answer to ensuring the health of Georgia voters and poll workers during the pandemic.

In a press release issued by Raffensperger on the absentee ballots, he said,

“Times of turbulence and upheaval like the one we Georgians face require decisive action if the liberties we hold so dear are to be preserved,” said Raffensperger. “I am acting today because the people of Georgia, from the earliest settlers to heroes like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Congressman John Lewis, have fought too long and too hard for their right to vote to have it curtailed. Georgia has faced challenges before and overcome them, and we can do so again through the grit and ingenuity that has made America a shining example for democracies around the world.”

In the 2016 and 2018 November elections, around 95 percent of Georgia voters opted to cast their ballot in person versus the 5 percent who did so by mail. With social distancing as the most important tool for limiting the spread of coronavirus, providing alternatives to voting in person is crucial. All Georgia voters can request and vote an absentee ballot for any reason.

While Secretary Raffensperger is encouraging as many voters as possible to vote by mail, some rely on in-person voting to exercise their right to vote privately and securely. People without internet or mail access, such as those experiencing homelessness; Georgians who need language assistance; and people with disabilities who rely on voting machines to cast their ballot will still be able to do so in person on the state’s new voting system. Additionally, research from the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law shows that eliminating “in-person voting could disproportionately disenfranchise Black, Latino, and young voters”. Their right to vote too needs protection.

To that end, Raffensperger is taking extra steps to limit the threat of COVID-19 at the polling place. Poll workers will receive additional resources to clean the equipment regularly. In-person voters who show up to vote in person will be instructed to maintain a safe distance when waiting to vote.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

These measures will protect poll workers as well. Understanding the extra risk Georgia’s generally elderly poll workers face, Raffensperger is working to help counties hire more and younger poll workers. Extra staff will allow those who feel sick to be absent from the polls without significantly impacting continuity while a younger pool of workers will increase resiliency in the face of the COVID-19 threat.

UPDATE: Ralston sends another letter to Raffensperger regarding Georgia Primary

Featured, News
ralston

UPDATE: April 8, 2020

ATLANTA, Ga – After announcing his support of extending the Public Health State of Emergency through May 13, House Speaker David Ralston has again asked Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to move the Georgia Primary to June 16.

Ralston has been very vocal about moving the election until Georgia can overcome the COVID-19 outbreak, which has a death rate in Georgia of 3.65 percent.

“We have seen many reports recently about how impactful a May 19 primary will be on the
ability of poll workers to report. Paramount is the health of voters, poll workers and others who
must be at polling precincts on Election Day,” stated Ralston in the letter.

Letter to Secretary of State 4.8.20

Copy of the April 8 letter.

Original Story from March 26, 2020 below: 

ATLANTA, Ga – Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston (Ga -7) sent a letter to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) asking him to please move Georgia’s May 19th primary due to novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

In the letter, Ralston asserts that he would like the primary to be moved to a date of June 23 or later. He cites several other southern states that have already moved their May Primaries to June or July as a precautionary measure to keep the public safe.

An exert from the letter below:

“At the present time, our state, the entire nation and the world are confronted by a public health emergency of unprecedented magnitude.

Our prayer is that we will be on the other side of this difficult period sooner rather than later. However, the inescapable truth is that we do not know the duration of the immediate health peril. Reputable scientists and physicians cannot agree on its duration.

All of which means that the precautionary measures recommended by the CDC and adopted in executive order by Governor Kemp will continue for an unknown period of time.”

The Georgia Speaker of the House also addresses the right to vote as one of America’s “cherished freedoms” and it “should be free of impact from circumstances which create obstacles to its exercise.”

The May 19th primary puts Georgia over a month ahead of anyone else in the south.

View the full letter here. Secretary Raffensperger 3 26 2020

On Tuesday, March 24, Raffensperger announced that the Secretary of State’s Office would be mailing out absentee ballots to 6.9 Georgia voters for the May 19th primary. This was his answer to ensuring the health of Georgia voters and poll workers during the pandemic.

In a press release issued by Raffensperger on the absentee ballots, he said,

“Times of turbulence and upheaval like the one we Georgians face require decisive action if the liberties we hold so dear are to be preserved,” said Raffensperger. “I am acting today because the people of Georgia, from the earliest settlers to heroes like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Congressman John Lewis, have fought too long and too hard for their right to vote to have it curtailed. Georgia has faced challenges before and overcome them, and we can do so again through the grit and ingenuity that has made America a shining example for democracies around the world.”

In the 2016 and 2018 November elections, around 95 percent of Georgia voters opted to cast their ballot in person versus the 5 percent who did so by mail. With social distancing as the most important tool for limiting the spread of coronavirus, providing alternatives to voting in person is crucial. All Georgia voters can request and vote an absentee ballot for any reason.

While Secretary Raffensperger is encouraging as many voters as possible to vote by mail, some rely on in-person voting to exercise their right to vote privately and securely. People without internet or mail access, such as those experiencing homelessness; Georgians who need language assistance; and people with disabilities who rely on voting machines to cast their ballot will still be able to do so in person on the state’s new voting system. Additionally, research from the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law shows that eliminating “in-person voting could disproportionately disenfranchise Black, Latino, and young voters”. Their right to vote too needs protection.

To that end, Raffensperger is taking extra steps to limit the threat of COVID-19 at the polling place. Poll workers will receive additional resources to clean the equipment regularly. In-person voters who show up to vote in person will be instructed to maintain a safe distance when waiting to vote.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

These measures will protect poll workers as well. Understanding the extra risk Georgia’s generally elderly poll workers face, Raffensperger is working to help counties hire more and younger poll workers. Extra staff will allow those who feel sick to be absent from the polls without significantly impacting continuity while a younger pool of workers will increase resiliency in the face of the COVID-19 threat.

Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Election 2018

 2018 Georgia Election Run-Off Results

Tonight marks the run-offs for election races in Georgia, these results are unofficial until approved by the Secretary of State.

 

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 756,016 votes   51.97%

John Barrow (D) – 698,770 votes   48.03%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 749,805 votes   51.83%

Lindy Miller (D) – 696,957 votes   48.17%

 

Check for local results by county here:

 

Gilmer

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,337 votes   83.13%

John Barrow (D) – 880 votes   16.87%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,250 votes   81.79%

Lindy Miller (D) – 946 votes   18.21%

 

Pickens

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,408 votes   84.01%

John Barrow (D) – 839 votes   15.99%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,325 votes   82.70%

Lindy Miller (D) – 905   17.30%

 

Fannin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,522 votes   81.89%

John Barrow (D) – 779 votes   18.11%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,454 votes   80.57%

Lindy Miller (D) – 833 votes   19.43%

 

Dawson

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,985 votes   85.83%

John Barrow (D) – 658 votes   14.17%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,939 votes   85.02%

Lindy Miller (D) – 694 votes   14.98%

 

White

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,063 votes   82.78%

John Barrow (D) – 845 votes   17.22%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,960 votes   80.82%

Lindy Miller (D) – 940 votes   19.18%

 

Union

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 4,246 votes   80.92%

John Barrow (D) – 1,001 votes   19.08%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 4,108 votes   78.65%

Lindy Miller (D) – 1,115 votes   21.35%

 

Towns

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,161 votes   79.95%

John Barrow (D) – 542 votes   20.05%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,105 votes   78.22%

Lindy Miller (D) – 586 votes   21.78%

 

Murray

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 2,699 votes   88.99%

John Barrow (D) – 334 votes   11.01%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 2,691 votes   88.84%

Lindy Miller (D) – 338 votes   11.16%

 

Lumpkin

Secretary of State

Brad Raffensperger (R) – 3,378 votes   78.47%

John Barrow (D) – 927 votes   21.53%

 

Public Service Commission, District 3

Chuck Eaton (R) – 3,337 votes   77.89%

Lindy Miller (D) – 947 votes   22.11%

Raffensperger wins nomination for Secretary of State

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Brad Raffensperger has defeated David Belle Isle in the July Runoff Election.

Raffensperger and Belle Isle vied for the Republican nomination to seek the seat of Georgia Secretary of State. The Secretary of State seat is open with no incumbent as current Secretary of State Brian Kemp moves forward in the gubernatorial race.

With all 159 counties reporting, Raffensperger was able to receive 61.76 percent of the vote while Belle Isle fell short only receiving 38.24 percent.

Raffensperger will move forward to the November General Election where he will face Democratic nominee John Barrow.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Murray County and state election results 2018

Election 2018, News

CHATSWORTH, Ga. – *These election results are unofficial until being certified by the Georgia secretary of state’s office.

2018 Murray County Primary Election Results

Chief Magistrate Judge (non-partisan):

Connie Reed –                             100.00%             2,019 votes

 

Board of Education District 5:

Mitch Wilson (R) –                    100.00%              1,502 votes

 

Board of Education District 6:

Heath Jones (R) –                       67.46%               1,385 votes

Celeste Bargeron (R) –               32.54%                 668 votes

 

Board of Education District 7:

Kelli Reed (R) –                        100.00%               1,553 votes

 

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST):

Yes:                                              67.08%               1,689 votes

No:                                               32.92%                  829 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 5

John Meadows (R) –           100.00%                2,596 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                                 100.00%               2,400 votes

Murray:                                  100.00%                   196 votes

Brian Rosser (D) –               100.00%                   504 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                                100.00%                    485 votes

Murray:                                 100.00%                      19 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 6

Jason Ridley (R) –             100.00%                 2,090 votes

Results by county:

Murray:                                100.00%                    726 votes

Whitfield:                             100.00%                1,364 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 11

Rick Jasperse (R) –          100.00%                  4,865 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                             100.00%                      513 votes

Murray:                             100.00%                       721 votes

Pickens:                            100.00%                    3,631 votes

Lee A. Shiver (D) –          100.00%                       673 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                           100.00%                          77 votes

Murray:                            100.00%                       123 votes

Pickens:                            100.00%                      473 votes

 

2018 Georgia Primary Election Results 

CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR:

Casey Cagle (R) –                         39.01%                      236,479 votes

Eddie Hayes (R)  –

Hunter Hill (R) –                         18.34%                        111,199 votes

Brian Kemp (R) –                        25.55%                       154,894 votes

Clay Tippins (R) –                       12.22%                         74,047 votes

Marc Urbach (R) –

Michael Williams (R) –                4.87%                         29,542 votes

Stacey Abrams (D) –                   76.44%                      422,509 votes

Stacey Evans (D) –                      23.56%                       130,241 votes

 

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATES:

Geoff Duncan (R) –                     26.65%                      145,849 votes

Rick Jeffares (R) –                      24.44%                       133,758 votes

David Shafer (R) –                      48.91%                       267,684 votes

Sarah Riggs Amico (D) –           55.28%                        277,675 votes

Triana Arnold James (D) –        44.72%                      224,638 votes

 

SECRETARY OF STATE CANDIDATES:

David Belle Isle (R) –                28.53%                        150,973 votes

Buzz Brockway (R) –                 15.35%                          81,251 votes

Josh McKoon (R) –                    21.14%                        111,881 votes

Brad Raffensperger (R) –         34.98%                     185,087 votes            

John Barrow (D) –                     51.52%                     263,958 votes

Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D) –      29.51%                      151,224 votes

R.J. Hadley (D) –                        18.97%                       97,194 votes

Smythe Duval (I) –

 

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES:

Jim Beck (R) –                           59.69%                    313,184 votes

Jay Florence (R) –                    20.89%                    109,629 votes

Tracy Jordan (R) –                    19.42%                    101,876 votes

Janice Laws (D) –                     62.84%                    302,119 votes

Cindy Zeldin (D) –                    37.16%                     178,677 votes

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES:

District 3 – 

Chuck Eaton (R) –                100.00%                   470,258 votes

Lindy Miller (D)  –                  65.46%                    311,286 votes              

John Noel (D)  –                      18.92%                      89,955 votes

Johnny White (D)  –               15.62%                       74,263 votes

District 5 – 

John Hitchins III (R)  –         46.96%                    247,460 votes

Tricia Pridemore (R)  –          53.04%                    279,510 votes

Dawn Randolph (D) –            78.59%                    365,189 votes

Doug Stoner (D) –                   21.41%                      99,509 votes

 

Author

Jason Beck

Born in Merrillville, Indiana, raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, and currently resides in Copperhill, Tennessee. Graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1996 and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, eventually earning a B.A. and M.A. in English. Hobbies include hiking, camping and fly-fishing. Interests include baseball, hockey and cliff jumping.

Duncan wins tightest race in July Runoff

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Geoff Duncan narrowly beats out David Shafer in the July Runoff Election.

In what was by far the closest race to take place during the runoff, Duncan beat out Shaffer by a mere 1672 votes. In some precincts across the state this race showed wins by a margin of only 2 votes.

Duncan and Shafer vied for the Republican nomination to seek the seat of Georgia Lt. Governor. The Lt. Governor seat is open with no incumbent as current Lt. Governor Casey Cagle chose to throw his name in the hat for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race.

With all 159 counties reporting, Duncan was able to receive 50.15 percent of the vote while Shafer fell short receiving 49.85 percent.

Duncan will move forward to the November General Election where he will face Democratic nominee Sarah Riggs Amico.

State Republicans will now move to a July Runoff

Election 2018, Politics
Georgia, May Primary Election 2018, General Election 2018, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Sarah Riggs Amico, Triana Arnold James, David Shafer, Geoff Duncan, Stacey Abrams, Stacey Evans, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, David Belle Isle, Brad Raffensperger, John Barrow, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Rakeim Hadley, Democrat, Republican, General Primary Runoff, July 2018

Front-runner Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle will face Secretary of State Brian Kemp in General Primary Runoff.

BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Georgia Gubernatorial Race has heated up as Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will now face Secretary of State Brian Kemp in the July General Primary Runoff.

Cagle and Kemp emerged as front runners in the General Primary, with Cagle showing a slight edge over Kemp by receiving 39 percent of the votes (227,170 total votes). Kemp was not far behind having received 26 percent or 150,051 total votes.

The two candidates will move forward in a 9 week runoff and the winner of this race will move on to face Democrat Stacey Abrams in the Nov. General Election.

Abrams won, receiving 76 percent of the votes (373,829 total votes), over fellow democratic party candidate Stacey Evans.

While a Republican runoff was anticipated in the Georgia Gubernatorial race, other state elections saw similar fates.

Georgia Lieutenant Governor front-runner David Shafer fell shy of a clear win. Shafer pulled in a majority of the votes, 256,230 in total, but this was not enough to avoid a runoff. With Shafer only claiming 49%, he will now face Geoff Duncan in July.

Georgia, May Primary Election 2018, General Election 2018, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Sarah Riggs Amico, Triana Arnold James, David Shafer, Geoff Duncan, Stacey Abrams, Stacey Evans, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, David Belle Isle, Brad Raffensperger, John Barrow, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Rakeim Hadley, Democrat, Republican, General Primary Runoff, July 2018

Shafer took a commanding number of votes, but was just shy of a clean win, and will now face Duncan in July.

Duncan came in a distant second to Shafer receiving 27 percent of the votes (140,741 total votes).

The winner of this runoff will face Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico in the Nov. General Election. Amico pulled in 56 percent of the votes (245,325 total votes) defeating opponent Triana James who received 44 percent.

Campaigns have not ended for Brad Raffensperger or David Belle Isle as they will also face off for in the General Primary Runoff for Georgia Secretary of State.

Raffensperger received 35 percent of the votes (178,502 total votes), moving him into top position. Belle Isle, however, was not far behind having received 29 percent or 145,915 total votes.

Democrat John Barrow will face the winner of this runoff in the Nov. General Election. Barrow was able to make a clean win with 52 percent over challengers Dee Dawkins-Haigler and Rakeim Hadley.

The General Primary Runoff will take place July 24, 2018.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Jones takes Board of Education seat, sales tax passes

Election 2018, News

CHATSWORTH, Ga. – Heath Jones defeated Celeste Bargeron to win the Murray County Board of Education (BOE) District 6 seat and the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax passed in Tuesday’s primary election.

In the Republican primary Tuesday, incumbent Heath Jones took 1,385 votes and 67.46 percent to overcome Bargeron, who received 668 votes and 32.54 percent. No candidates Democratic candidates qualified to face Jones in the November general election; therefore, Jones will retain his seat on the board.

The BOE District 5 race saw Mitchell Wilson run uncontested in the Republican primary, receiving a total of 1,502 votes. Wilson is also unopposed in general election and will assume the District 5 seat on the board.

In BOE District 7, Republican incumbent Kelli Reed was also unopposed in the primary and will be unopposed in the general election. Reed took 1,553 total votes and will retain her seat on the board.

In the chief magistrate judge’s non-partisan race, Connie Reed was unopposed and garnered 2,019 total votes.

The county referendum to continue the 1 percent SPLOST for another six years was approved by voters. The referendum took in 1,689 yes votes (67.08 percent) and 829 no votes (32.92 percent). The new SPLOST will take effect Jan. 1, 2019.

In the state Senate District 54 race, Republican incumbent Chuck Payne edged out challenger J. Scott Tidwell with 5,012 total votes (52.87 percent) to Tidwell’s 4,467 (47.13 percent). Payne will move on to the November general election to face Democrat Michael S. Morgan, who was unopposed in the primary and received 1,565 total votes.

In the three state House of Representatives’ races, no candidate ran opposed in his respective party primary. In District 5, which encompasses portions of Murray and Gordon counties, Republican incumbent John Meadows received 2,596 district-wide votes while Brian Rosser took in 504 total votes in the Democratic primary. Meadows and Rosser will meet in November in the general election.

In state House District 6, which includes north Murray County and a portion of Whitfield County, Republican incumbent Jason Ridley ran unopposed in the primary and will run unopposed in the general election. Ridley received 2,090 total district votes.

The race for state House District 11, which includes portions of Murray, Gordon, and Pickens counties, Republican incumbent Rick Jasperse and Democrat Lee A. Shiver both ran unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Jasperse received a total of 4,865 votes across the district while Shiver took 673 total votes. Jasperse and Shiver will meet in the November general election.

In state-level races, runoff elections will be required to determine the Republican winners of the gubernatorial race, the race for lieutenant governor, and the race for secretary of state.

For governor, current Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will face current Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a runoff election July 24. Cagle took 39.01 percent of the statewide votes to Kemp’s 25.55 percent. The winner of this runoff will move on to face state Representative Stacey Abrams, who handily defeated fellow state Representative Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary. Abrams garnered 76.44 percent of the statewide Democratic votes to Evans’ 23.56 percent.

In the lieutenant governor’s election David Shafer will face Geoff Duncan in the July runoff for the Republican nomination. Shafer won 48.91 percent of the Republican votes statewide while Duncan received 26.65 percent. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic primary winner Sarah Riggs Amico in November.

The secretary of state’s race will also be decided in the July 24 runoff as Republicans Brad Raffensperger and David Belle Isle will meet for their’s party nod. Raffensperger took 34.98 percent of the Republican votes while Belle Isle took in 28.53 percent. The winner will face Democrat John Barrow in the fall general election.

In the county’s only federal election, the U.S. House of Representatives District 14 race featured Republican incumbent Tom Graves and Democrat Steven Lamar Foster both running unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Graves took a total of 38,235 Republican votes in the district while Foster received 10,611 votes in the Democratic primary. Graves and Foster will meet in the general election in November.

Author

Jason Beck

Born in Merrillville, Indiana, raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, and currently resides in Copperhill, Tennessee. Graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1996 and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, eventually earning a B.A. and M.A. in English. Hobbies include hiking, camping and fly-fishing. Interests include baseball, hockey and cliff jumping.

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