Georgia State Election Board hears contested investigations, adds new member and sends several cases to the AG

The Georgia State Election Board convened in Winder on Jan. 21, 2025, and carried a full agenda of investigative reports, motions and policy recommendations. Chair John Fir opened the meeting and introduced the board’s newest member, Sally Grubs, who pledged to focus on transparency, voting system security and consistent enforcement of state election rules. “I promise you that every decision I make here will be based on impartial and independent judgment,” Grubs told the board and audience.

The board disposed of a wide slate of investigative matters. Several complaints were dismissed after investigators’ findings, while others prompted formal instruction or further inquiry. The board approved letters of instruction to multiple counties — including guidance to Fulton County about correct use of backup versus provisional ballots — and voted to send a set of matters to the Georgia attorney general for additional investigation, notably in cases that allege procedural lapses or missing records.

Public commenters pressed the board on several high-profile complaints involving Fulton County. Complainants in a case about activities outside the High Museum of Art said party-like activity during early voting on Oct. 19, 2024, may have breached Georgia’s 150-foot campaign restriction and created a confusing, intimidating environment for older voters. The board voted unanimously to continue the investigation, add respondents identified in reporting and request investigators gather additional evidence.

Board members spent substantial time reviewing procedural evidence about tabulator tapes, memory cards and record retention — particularly allegations that Fulton County’s retained tape and image records were incomplete for 2020 and later elections. Dr. Janice Johnson urged the board to forward a detailed list of rule and statute-based concerns to the attorney general; the board approved a letter to that effect. Members debated the legal significance of unsigned or missing tabulator tapes (a rule violation) versus whether statutory certification standards were affected.

Cobb County elections officials acknowledged multiple earlier problems processing absentee ballots and memory cards in 2022 and 2024. County representatives told the board these were operational errors compounded by vendor and staffing problems; Cobb said it has since completed internal audits and put new quality-control procedures in place. For several Cobb matters the board issued letters of instruction. The board also referred one Cobb matter to the attorney general because of repeated, systemic failures involving absentee processing.

A large portion of the public comment period focused on technical allegations about ballot images and cast‑vote records from Fulton County’s 2020 tabulation and later recounts. Outside experts and complainants presented summaries alleging thousands of missing or duplicated ballot images and discrepancies between image totals and certified results. Board members acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and several asked for written briefings and additional evidence. Some members urged a formal complaint or referral for independent forensic review; others said legal and statutory limits affect the board’s options and that any submission of data outside state law must be handled carefully.

On policy questions, the board considered two resolutions for the legislature: one recommending Georgia transmit voter registration data for interstate comparison, and another recommending elimination of absentee ballot dropboxes in favor of mail and county-office return only. After discussion, the board approved sending to the legislature a resolution urging interstate review of voter rolls (with debate about data redaction and legal limits) and separately approved a resolution recommending discontinuing dropboxes. Both measures were passed as recommendations, not as binding law — the state legislature, not the board, must change statute.

The board agreed to schedule a special hearing to evaluate quickly pending legislation about ballot tabulation (Senate Bill 189) and to invite independent, nonpartisan experts to present technical and legal perspectives ahead of the legislature’s action. Executive Director James Mills also provided the board’s annual report to the governor and noted budget and staffing constraints that limit how the board and agency can investigate and follow up on long-running, complex cases.

What’s next: several investigations were continued and a number of matters were formally referred to the attorney general’s office for further review. The board asked Secretary of State investigators and affected counties to provide missing documents and asked staff to schedule the special, public briefing on SB 189 within the next two weeks. The board also said it will follow up with county election officials about the quality-control changes they have adopted since earlier absentee and memory-card problems.