Election Integrity in Georgia: Chaos and Concerns Ahead
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 2 hours ago
**Chaos** has become the defining characteristic of election integrity efforts in Georgia as the state prepares for the high-stakes 2024 election.
Following the tumultuous 2020 presidential election, where Donald Trump lost the state by a razor-thin margin, concerns about election integrity have pushed unemployment officials into a defensive stance.
In Paulding County—a Republican stronghold where Trump captured 63% of the vote—the election staff is gearing up for a myriad of potential threats.
Election Director Deirdre Holden, who has guided elections for 17 years, has never faced such a volatile environment. She has advised her team on procedures for dealing with potential violence, including the installation of panic buttons and surveillance cameras in their office, which now includes a bright red "fight or flight" bag of Narcan for emergencies.
Holden disclosed that she has been receiving threats since Trump’s narrow defeat. In these communications, detractors often hold her and her team responsible, inciting alarming remarks, such as promises of violence at polling sites.
"Get in the room there, barricade the door and fight for your life if you have to," Holden said, expressing a shocking reality she never envisioned in her role.
The pressures are exacerbated by an atmosphere fueled by conspiracy theories and allegations, as many Republican officials, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, contend that election integrity suffers from a cloud of doubt after 2020. Raffensperger himself faced threats, particularly after firmly dismissing Trump's calls to overturn the election results, when he asked for help finding the votes he needed.
"I want voters to understand in Georgia that we're going to have an accurate election," Raffensperger stated, illustrating a commitment to ensuring lawful voting while acknowledging the heightened scrutiny surrounding the electoral process.
Despite the ongoing controversies, right-leaning voices argue that the modifications made to election rules will contribute to a more secure voting system. Critics, however, maintain that these changes could disenfranchise voters.
Additionally, local election boards have been reshaped with greater oversight and authority to exclude votes from precincts they believe may contain discrepancies or instances of fraud, decisions that remain hotly contested.
Georgia's election landscape has undoubtedly shifted since the 2020 election, with significant strides being made to ensure that only lawful votes are counted.
As Georgia gears up for this critical election, all eyes will be on how these recent changes impact the electoral choices of its residents.
Sources:
yahoo.com
propublica.org
abcnews.go.com
Following the tumultuous 2020 presidential election, where Donald Trump lost the state by a razor-thin margin, concerns about election integrity have pushed unemployment officials into a defensive stance.
In Paulding County—a Republican stronghold where Trump captured 63% of the vote—the election staff is gearing up for a myriad of potential threats.
Election Director Deirdre Holden, who has guided elections for 17 years, has never faced such a volatile environment. She has advised her team on procedures for dealing with potential violence, including the installation of panic buttons and surveillance cameras in their office, which now includes a bright red "fight or flight" bag of Narcan for emergencies.
Holden disclosed that she has been receiving threats since Trump’s narrow defeat. In these communications, detractors often hold her and her team responsible, inciting alarming remarks, such as promises of violence at polling sites.
"Get in the room there, barricade the door and fight for your life if you have to," Holden said, expressing a shocking reality she never envisioned in her role.
The pressures are exacerbated by an atmosphere fueled by conspiracy theories and allegations, as many Republican officials, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, contend that election integrity suffers from a cloud of doubt after 2020. Raffensperger himself faced threats, particularly after firmly dismissing Trump's calls to overturn the election results, when he asked for help finding the votes he needed.
"I want voters to understand in Georgia that we're going to have an accurate election," Raffensperger stated, illustrating a commitment to ensuring lawful voting while acknowledging the heightened scrutiny surrounding the electoral process.
Despite the ongoing controversies, right-leaning voices argue that the modifications made to election rules will contribute to a more secure voting system. Critics, however, maintain that these changes could disenfranchise voters.
Additionally, local election boards have been reshaped with greater oversight and authority to exclude votes from precincts they believe may contain discrepancies or instances of fraud, decisions that remain hotly contested.
Georgia's election landscape has undoubtedly shifted since the 2020 election, with significant strides being made to ensure that only lawful votes are counted.
As Georgia gears up for this critical election, all eyes will be on how these recent changes impact the electoral choices of its residents.
Sources:
yahoo.com
propublica.org
abcnews.go.com
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