Janelle King, a valiant Republican member of Georgia’s election board, strongly upholds the state’s new election rules. This dynamic five-member board has recently introduced rules giving county election boards the authority to perform checks before certifying election results as well as to scrutinize ballot counts. The determined and earnest King proclaims, ‘I’m not fixing a problem that does not exist. Instead, we are averting future issues.’
King reminds us of issues reported by some candidates as a justification for these novel rules. The issues were not something that could be brushed under the carpet. ‘This is something we’ve witnessed, and I don’t consider it trivial. It’s essentially a matter of procedure,’ remarked the resolute Republican board member.
Of course, as can be expected, the Democrats are raising a hue and cry, notably by filing a lawsuit in an attempt to halt these rules. They warn that it may stir up post-election confusion. But wouldn’t clear and stricter rules only promote transparency and better organization?
Interestingly, Georgia’s secretary of state, another Republican, expresses concerns that any last-minute shift may shake voter confidence and burden election workers. However, wouldn’t you agree that long-term stability and integrity are worth more than short-term inconveniences?
One refreshing rule provides guidance to county election officials to form a list of voters for any specific election and scrutinize it for duplicate entries. In the event any double votes are located, there’s an immediate requirement for an investigation. Until the outcome of these individual investigations presents itself to a county board, all votes from that precinct stand by.
Despite this fair and logical rule, election officials around the state argue that it will prevent counties from reporting election results promptly. You can’t help but wonder, isn’t securing the validity of votes more important than speed?
Consequently, voter rights activists voice worries that the new rule might potentially disenfranchise voters. However, we should all agree that protecting the validity of each vote is of utmost importance. Let’s not forget, one’s right to vote needs to be protected from manipulation.
Georgia’s Democrat Senator, Raphael Warnock, misses the point entirely and says, ‘They’re preparing themselves and creating a pretext for why they shouldn’t certify an election if they don’t like the results. This is not what it means to be American. This is not who we are, this is not what the American democratic experiment in self-governance is all about.’ One can’t help but notice, how can ensuring fairness and validity of election process not be in line with the American ideal of democracy?
Also, an earlier approved rule requires county election officials to make a ‘reasonable inquiry’ before certifying election results. The Democrats question the rule’s clarity, but it is essential in maintaining rigorous standards and ensuring the right people are holding office.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, stated after the rule change, ‘Misguided attempts by the State Election Board will delay election results and undermine chain of custody safeguards. Georgia voters reject this 11th-hour chaos, and so should the unelected members of the State Election Board.’ Little did he realize that these attempts are far from misguided; they are clear, specific steps towards securing a more legitimate and fair electoral process.
Raffensperger refers to the fact that the State Election Board members are appointed, not elected. Therein lies a deep irony. If the board works towards ensuring fair, reliable, and above all, truthful election results, does it matter whether they are elected or appointed?
In the grand scheme of things, the integrity of the election process is paramount, and any attempt to better the process should be seen as an affirmative action, regardless of the political party.
Democrats might construe these changes as a negative, but for a democracy as grand as America, these are the steadfast steps we take towards reinforcing our faith in the timeliness and accuracy of our electoral process.
While the Democrats continue with their unjust criticism, the Republican election board members stand tall in their pursuit of a more transparent and just electoral process, illustrating the validity and reason behind these new rules.