Voter drive misinformation alleged

A national voting rights group accused some Georgia counties of violating national laws by giving out false information to organizers of voter drives. Now the Georgia Secretary of State’s office has stepped-in to ensure registration runs legally.

The group Advancement Project works to protect voting rights for people in low-income and minority communities. Brad Heard is senior attorney for the group. He says they’ve received complaints from organizers of drives in Georgia:

"The information suggested anything from the fact you had to get a deputy registrar assigned to your drive and permission for the drive. In another case, registrars were saying it was a felony to conduct a voter registration drive without permission".

That in fact is not true. Two years ago, a federal consent order struck down these restrictions.

A letter sent by the voter watchdog group to Georgia elections officials mentions a handful of counties that it says was providing misleading information. One was Ware County--its elections supervisor is Betty Gillis:

"We did get a letter from them, but we’re in compliance so we’re good".

Some erroneous information was supposedly on county elections websites. One county did admit to wrong information on its 'frequently asked questions' page, which has since been corrected.

With this being a presidential election year, groups like Advancement Project are pushing to remove real and perceived barriers. Heard says they want to get as many people signed up to vote:

"We don’t want to discourage that process by the misperception that registering these folks is going to be an onerous process so that you have to jump through so many hoops at the county level before you’re authorized to do it".

State elections officials say in a statement they have contacted the counties in question, and are sending clarification letters to all local elections officials in Georgia’s 159 counties.

Chatham Co. polling sites staying put for now

The Chatham County Elections Board on Monday went back to square one with a controversial plan to consolidate polling sites.

The elections board has been taking heat for a plan to get rid of small voting precincts, move others and generally change where people vote. The NAACP has said that could disenfranchise minority voters.

Now the board is reversing course, but only on procedural grounds. They’re starting the process over by having another board, the Board of Registrars, make recommendations as to which polling sites should change.

It’s not clear whether that will make any difference in the outcome. Elections board Chairman Ray Thomas says, “The law says that you may ask them to do this, but stops short of telling you whether you are under any kind of agreement to accept what they have, or a portion of what they offer or none of what they offer.”

The elections board has been taking input on the plan from a host of elected officials and at contentious public meetings for months. They reversed course on advice from their attorney.

State elections officials: no complaints last week

Only eight voters in Georgia’s special elections last week needed to cast provisional ballots because they lacked the required photo identification—that’s the word from Georgia elections officials. State law allows those who cast provisional ballots to return within 48 hours and show a form of photo ID, so their vote can count. It was unclear whether the eight voters returned.
In the biggest test yet of the state’s photo ID law, officials say they received no complaints either by phone or email. Local elections were held in 22 counties with low turnout.

NAACP looks ahead to July/November elections

Voter turnout has been high nationwide at this year's Presidential primaries. Voting has also been under the spotlight lately because several states have passed laws requiring photo identification. Georgia is included in that list and you do have to present a government-issued ID at the polls here. But it's been controversial.

Opponents say requiring photo ID at the polls makes voting a burden for some elderly and minorities who may not have an ID. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed and upheld Indiana's right to require photo ID at the polls. But the controversy is not over in Georgia. In advance of July’s statewide elections, the Georgia NAACP has begun working to ensure all eligible Georgians get to vote.

The group is hoping to avoid a repeat of Super Tuesday 2008, in November. The group's President Edward DuBose says nearly a thousand voters were purged in February from local rolls based upon inaccurate data.

"Our concern now as we move into a historic presidential election, is that these rulings coincide so closely with an election that is history making."

Adopting a strategy that has its origins in the civil rights movement of yesteryear, the group plans a massive grass roots undertaking, to ensure that everyone who is eligible has the proper identification.

"We've got to engage our coalition partners like ministers, and fraternity and sorority organizations, to get out in some cases, knocking on doors. Our question anf our concern at the same time is, will Georgia be ready?"

The group says it has planned local and regional information session, right up to July's statement elections and on into the November presidential showdown.

And, if necessary, the NAACP says following both elections, it will call for public hearings in case of election rights violations.

Fulton wraps absentee counting

State elections officials are a step closer to officially determining whether Georgia’s U.S. Senate race will have to go to a runoff. That closer step came just before midnight, when election workers in Fulton County wrapped-up the counting of nearly 31,000 absentee ballots. Certification should come by tomorrow.

Fulton county has been in spotlight for taking overtime to count votes, which has drawn the anger of Secretary of State Karen Handel, who’s called for an investigation. On Wednesday morning, Fulton County poll workers were allowed to leave early for a rest. Handel threatened to report the county to the state elections board for violation of Georgia election laws. But Fulton County Voter Education Coordinator Mark Henderson says the county took steps to make sure no laws were broken:

"Our director called our board chair, who then called the county attorney to interpret the election code to see if it would be a violation. Our county attorney didn't see a violation based on the state of Georgia's elections code".

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports this morning that the Office of Inspector General will conduct a complete investigation of Fulton County.

Reminder: photo ID’s required in upcoming election

Voters taking part in the upcoming General Primary Election that begins Monday, July 7 and end Friday, July 11, 2008 must show one of the following six forms of photo ID:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport;
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
• Valid tribal photo ID.

If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, they can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services, according to a statement issued by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Additional information about Georgia’s photo ID requirement is here:
www.GAPhotoID.com, or call toll free (877) 725-9797.

Contact information can be found on the 2008 Election Center website:
http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.

Downloadable and printable absentee ballot request forms are here:
http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.

Voters can find voter registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by visiting http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm or by calling (888) 265-1115.

Chambliss, Martin rev up for runoff

Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis and Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin and at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender/file)

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin were in full campaign mode this weekend, trying to coax enough votes to prevail in a Dec. 2 runoff election.


Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis talking with reporters at a press conference held at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender/file)

Chambliss’ camp is preparing for a visit from former GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Martin is meeting with Cobb County Democrats and planned to visit a party phone bank operation in Decatur.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

With less than four weeks until they face voters again, neither campaign was waiting for Secretary of State Karen Handel to make it official when she certifies election results next week.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting throughout Georgia, neither Chambliss nor Martin accumulated enough ballots to pull above the needed 50 percent plus one of the vote. The Moultrie Republican is just short, with 49.8 percent. Martin, a former state lawmaker from Atlanta, has 46.8 percent. The race also included Libertarian Allen Buckley, who drew 3.4 percent.

Military and overseas ballots were among the last to be tallied by county officials. To be counted, they had to arrive by Friday.

The state’s most populous county had been set to certify its results Saturday. But a spokesman for Fulton County’s Board of Elections said problems with a faulty memory card delayed the effort.

Voters register to cast their ballot in advance voting at the Fulton Co. Government Center polling station in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender)

Fulton County Board of Elections spokesman Mark Henderson said the problem had been resolved but officials decided to audit the process before making the elections results official. The certification is now expected to take place Sunday or Monday, Henderson said.

Handel’s office has criticized Fulton County for being slow to count thousands of absentee ballots and her office is investigating. Henderson said county workers were exhausted after a marathon Election Day and were sent home for a few hours to rest.

The expected Chambliss-Martin contest is already drawing a national spotlight to Georgia.

The race is one of three unresolved Senate contests nationwide, along with Minnesota and Alaska. All involve Republican incumbents. If Democrats capture all three, it would give them a 60-seat majority in the Senate, a margin needed to block Republican filibusters.

Chambliss’ campaign said they’ve also been in touch with McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, about a possible Georgia visit.

McCain carried Georgia on Election Day by 52 percent to President-elect Barack Obama’s 47 percent.

Nonetheless, Martin has asked Obama to help out, but no word yet on whether he’ll stump for Martin.

Then President-elect Bill Clinton came to Georgia to campaign for Democratic Sen. Wyche Fowler in his 1992 runoff race. But even with the high-profile help, Fowler went on to lose to Republican Paul Coverdell in what was the last U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia.

Martin and Chambliss arguing a point during the GPBTV pre-election debate. At bottom is Libertarian candidate Allan Buckley. (Dave Bender/file)

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

Critics: Nov. elections prove photo ID law problematic

Georgia election officials announced nearly 60 people were forced to cast provisional ballots during November's local elections. That's because they lacked the required state issued photo identification. So far, less than 40 of the state's 159 counties have reported their November elections findings to state officials. Still, critics say they're wary of the law. Charlie Lester is spokesperson for Georgia Election Protection. "We're worried that people won't know the requirements, won't have gotten picture IDs. We're concerned about potentials for misinformation, actual voter fraud, telling people that democrats vote on Wednesday instead of on Tuesday." Georgia voters have until January 7th, 2008 to register for the February 5th Presidential primary.

Nepal: Carter offers bid to end deadlock

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter meets Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, June 15, 2007. (Nepal Dep't of Information)

Former President Jimmy Carter offered a proposal Saturday to Nepal's government and former communist rebels to help end a political deadlock that has held up the country's elections.

The former guerrillas, known as Maoists, suspended their armed revolt last year. They signed a peace accord and joined Parliament and the ruling coalition this year.

However, they quit the government two months ago, demanding that the monarchy be immediately abolished - a move that forced the postponement of the elections, initially planned for Nov. 22. No new date has been set.

Carter told reporters he had suggested that all sides should agree that the monarchy would be abolished immediately after elections for an assembly to draft a new constitution, and that minor changes be made to the election system.

Carter, who also visited Nepal in June, gave the proposal to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

"It is a specific proposal that I think will not only meet the need of all major parties and also the marginalized groups, but also provide strong encouragement for all the major parties, including the Maoists, to participate in the election," Carter said.

Carter held talks with Koirala, the Maoists and leaders of the main political parties during his four-day visit, which ended Saturday.

Nepal's government has asked the former president's Carter Center, based in Atlanta, Georgia, to observe the election for a Constituent Assembly, which is to rewrite the constitution and decide the country's future political system. The assembly would have the option of restoring the monarchy if it were abolished as Carter suggested.

Click here for more GPB coverage about Jimmy Carter.

Where is the Fraud Happening?

A survey conducted by GPB of 134 election offices across the state finds no cases of registration or early voting fraud.

The findings come after several high profile allegations were made suggesting some counties were seeing widespread attempts by partisans and community groups, such as ACORN, to conduct elections fraud. There were also reports on rural AM and FM talk radio stations that organized efforts to register dead voters were taking place.

GPB found no evidence this is occurring.

Several election officials in a handful of counties have reported irregularities to the Secretary of State’s office. However, only thirty two ballots are in question, according to the information provided to GPB, and all of the cases have been resolved without charges.

Fulton County and Richmond County officials did provide exact numbers to GPB, but both election offices report no instances of voter registration or elections fraud.

A spokesperson at the Secretary of State’s office also indicated investigators are looking into allegations of registering people in jails. However, GPB could not independently verify the investigation, and the spokesperson would not disclose where the investigation is taking place.

All participants reported the elections process is moving smoothly, and that early voting turnout is high.

24 counties did not participate in the survey. All were rural counties. Seventeen offices could not be reached. One county office declined to participate. Six more listed non-working telephone numbers.

While almost all of the election officials say they have heard of the voting and registration fraud allegations, not one confirmed it had taken place in their counties. This was a self reporting survey however, and is dependant on the honesty of each county official.

For a copy of the survey, email jsepulvado@gpb.org .

Primary runoff voting today across state

Polls are open across the state, and will stay open to voters until 7pm tonight. Primary runoff elections are being held as Georgia voters pick Democratic and Republican candidates in various races for state and local offices. State elections officials expect voter turnout to be very light--only in the single digits.

In the single statewide runoff battle, the choice is either Vernon Jones or Jim Martin for the Democratic pick for U.S. Senate. The winner here moves to November to face GOP incumbent Saxby Chambliss.

Keep it here on GPB for election updates--on radio and on the web. Check out our elections-blog anytime by going to our website gpb.org. We’ll have an election wrapup on your local GPB radio station tomorrow morning.

GA Latino group seeks voters

The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials is ramping up an Hispanic voter-registration drive aimed at upcoming 2008 elections.

Jerry Gonzalez, GALEO executive director told reporters:

"We are actively registering voters from now until October 2008," said "We started it early because of municipal elections, plus the presidential primary in February."

GALEO estimates that there are some 70,000 Latino voters statewide, and another 20,000 who will reach voting age by the 2008 elections, according to a report appearing in the Gainesville Times.

GALEO homepage
GALEO English-language voter registration website: "It is the hour"

Georgia gets new Elections Director

Georgia has a new Elections Director. Secretary of State Karen Handel has named Michael McCarthy to the post. Before coming to Georgia, McCarthy oversaw Minnesota’s elections for nearly eight years. Here, he will manage initiatives such as developing a centralized voter registration list and creating a paper trail for Georgia’s electronic voting machines.

Phase two of photo ID outreach begins

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel announced today the beginning of Phase Two of her office's Photo ID outreach and education campaign in preparation for municipal elections to be held in 90 counties on November 6.

The campaign is aimed at reminding voters they must present photo identification for in-person voting. Photo identification is not required to vote with an absentee ballot.

The Secretary of State's Office is sending letters to over 166,000 active and inactive registered voters in the 90 counties who may not have a Georgia driver's license or state identification card.

The voters receiving this letter were identified through a database match of active and inactive registered voters and Georgia Department of Drivers Services (DDS) records. "We encourage every registered voter who does not yet have photo identification to contact their county registrar's office or DDS center. We want to ensure that every citizen who needs a free photo ID card knows where to obtain it," said Handel.

Registered voters in the 90 counties believed to not have a driver's license or other photo identification will also receive an informational brochure and postcard in the weeks leading up to the November 6 election date.

In addition to the letters, brochures and postcards, the Secretary of State's Office is placing public service announcements on cable television and extensive radio advertising, including Atlanta Falcons broadcasts, reminding voters of the photo ID requirement. Handel's office is also conducting mandatory training sessions for county elections officials and poll workers, and distributing information to public libraries and other public facilities in the 90 counties conducting elections.

Handel added, "Every Georgian counts. So should their vote. The photo identification requirement protects the integrity of our election process."

Georgia law requires that voters present one of the following forms of photo identification when voting in person:
*A Georgia driver's license, even if expired;
*Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by a county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services;
*Valid U.S. passport;
*Valid employee photo identification from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
*Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
*Valid tribal photo ID.

For more information, visit the Secretary of State's website at

www.GaPhotoID.com

Photo voter I-D has smooth election run

State elections officials by late Tuesday had reported no problems with the use of photo voter identification in local elections across 100 Georgia counties. It was another test run for the law, which was in effect for local elections in 22 counties on September 18th. The biggest workout yet for voter ID is expected on February 5th for the state's presidential primary. Turnout for that date could be higher than that of the local race voting.

Runoff elections Tuesday

Some Georgians will head to the polls next Tuesday. December 4th marks run-off elections for House District 127 and other county and municipal elections where candidates failed to receive a majority vote on November 6th. Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds voters to bring photo identification with them to the polls. For a list of approved ID’s, link to the Secretary of State’s website here.

Officials investigating large number of voter i.d. cards in Augusta

Officials in Augusta say the secretary of state's office is investigating why so many people are getting voter identification cards there.

The Richmond County board of elections says it has issued about 1700 voter identification cards since the process began in Georgia two years ago. That's the second highest number in any other county. Fulton County is the top. Officials say about 1900 of the cards have been issued there, although Fulton has about four to five times more registered voters.

Officials say the large number of cards issued in Richmond County has peaked the interest of the secretary of state and the district attorney. They say both agencies are investigating, and that they suspect the cards are being used to cash checks and for other purposes. That's illegal.

"The cards that are issued by the registrars in the state of Georgia are to be used for voting purposes only," says Lynn Bailey, director of the Richmond County board of elections. "It clearly states that on the front and and back of the card."

Bailey doesn't expect the issue to affect upcoming elections.

Counties provide voter i.d. cards to residents who have no other form of photo identification, such as a driver's license or a passport.

Handel: no mechanism for Saturday voting

Sign at the Fulton County Government Center, explaining early voting procedures, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Secretary of State Karen Handel -- a Republican who oversees Georgia elections -- says state law doesn't provide for weekend voting and prohibits voting on the Monday before Election Day.

Democratic Party Chair Jane Kidd on Tuesday called on Handel to request that the Department of Justice allow polls to remain open longer during the week, over the weekend, and on Monday, November 3:

“We have known that both the Democratic and Republican parties, their candidates, and even your office itself are encouraging voters to avail themselves of advance and early voting. And, we have known since advance voting began that large numbers of voters are doing just that. I am just mystified that your elections division is seemingly so unprepared for the wave of voters we all knew was coming."

Handel responded saying that county officials will be working through the weekend to prepare for the crush of voters.

Lines at the ballot box were down to under four hours in most places by Tuesday.

(AP)

Click here for more on this story.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

2 Ga. counties consider extended voting hours

Voting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
undefinedVoting instructions at the Fulton County Government Center. (Dave Bender)
[collapse expanded text]
Fulton County elections officials decided against asking for federal permission to extend voting hours on Election Day.

But officials in Clayton County are still considering whether to ask for expanded hours because of the heavy turnout in early and advance voting.

The Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections said Monday that the number of voting machines is enough to handle the crush of voters.

Polls are normally open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Georgia.

More than 2 million people have voted so far - or about 36 percent of the state's 5.6 million registered voters.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

(AP)

Officials: few problems in final days of early voting

Muscogee Co. voters line up outside the main branch of the Columbus public library, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters throughout Georgia lined up under sunny skies on Friday and Saturday to cast a ballot on the final days of advance voting.


Voters patiently waited an average of 40 minutes to 1.5 hours to cast their ballots in one of the libraries' reading rooms, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender).

In Columbus, long, but fast moving lines greeted some 5,000 Muscogee County residents casting early ballots at the Columbus Library, according to election technician Tamika Booker:

“We’ve been having about 1,200 a day here at the library, as well as at one of our other voting sites. Two of our other ones have had a little bit less than that – maybe about 800.”

Jimmy Morris, a security guard at the Troup Co. Government Center assists voters waiting to cast their ballots, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Further to the north, at the Troup County courthouse in Lagrange, Chief Registrar Donna Williams reports a similar turnout:

“It’s been a tremendous, great turnout. We’ve voted almost 13,000 people so far, and we’re steady going.”

Officials say that statewide, the longest wait times during the past week have averaged two to three hours.

In Coweta County, polls were open on Saturday from 9 to noon at the county administration building in downtown Newnan. Some 200 residents cast their ballot, according to the Associated Press.

Residents got a federal ok to hold Saturday voting there, in 1986.

State elections officials say over a thousand lawyers will oversee Tuesday’s voting. The attorneys will represent the parties, the state and federal government, special interests and voting rights groups.

Polls for the presidential election open across Georgia at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Click here for more GPB News elections coverage.