A Georgia Federal Judge held Wednesday that Litigation seeking to Force the State to Replace its allegedly Insecure and Unreliable Electronic Voting system with Paper Ballots can move forward, disagreeing with Officials’ Claims that the Court lacks Jurisdiction over the Suit lodged by a Voting Integrity Group and several Residents.
U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg noted that upon Reviewing Dismissal Arguments from Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, and other State and County Election Officials, she concluded that the Court isn’t Barred from Hearing Litigation brought by Georgians for Verified Voting, a group Advocating for a Paper Voting system and Voters, alike. The Lawsuit, filed in July, asks U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg to declare it Unconstitutional to use DRE machines like those used in Georgia for any Public Election. The Lawsuit contends that the State could switch to the same Paper Ballots already Mailed for Absentee Voting and has a Absentee Ballot Tracker Tool.
The plaintiffs say the Courts need to step in to safeguard Democracy in Georgia. Legislation to Replace the State’s Electronic Voting machines failed to pass at the Georgia Capitol this year, and tech Experts have repeatedly shown how Malware could change Election Results and the current system does not have the ability to be Audited. While scrapping the State’s 27,000 Electronic Voting machines, Direct-Recording Electronic Voting (DRE)'s, within the next Five Months would be a drastic move, it’s necessary to ensure that Hackers aren’t altering Election Results, said Donna Price, a Plaintiff in the Case and the Director for Georgians for Verified Voting.
“We are asked to trust the word of the election officials that votes are counted as cast. That is not acceptable,” Price said. “No matter what our political beliefs, election outcomes are a matter of life and death: Do we have health care when sick? Do our kids go to war? Is our system of government safe?” Georgia relies entirely on DRE machines that don’t leave an Independent Paper Backup. Roughly 70% of the Country uses some form of Paper Ballots.
Most of Georgia’s Elected Officials, including Kemp, a Republican Candidate for Governor, agree that the State’s Voting machines should be Replaced, but not until the 2020 Presidential Election. They say the State’s Elections can be trusted while Legislators and the State’s next Secretary of State debate a Different Voting Technology. “I am confident that the current system, which is tested by experts for every election, continues to properly capture and reflect all voters’ choices,” Kemp said in a Statement last Month after the Voting machines were Tested in a mock Election in Three Counties. “There was an exact and perfect reporting of all votes cast on all tested devices. Based on these results, the examination team found that the examined voting system could be safely and accurately used.”
To fight the Lawsuit, the State hired former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes to Defend Kemp and other Election Officials. Barnes said in Court last Month that the Lawsuit is “impractical and crazy.” Barnes, who was Governor when the current system was Implemented, said there’s No way the State could Implement and Test a Paper-based Voting System in time for the November Election. “Everybody admits we are going to replace these. We don’t think there has been any harm,” Barnes said. “You cannot create the crisis and then say we have got to do this.”
A Demonstration at Georgia Tech in April showed how Election Results could be Rigged if Voting Machines were Infected with Malware. In addition, the State’s Election Center’s website exposed Election Instructions and the Personal Information of 6.7 Million Georgia Voters until those Documents were Removed in March 2017.
The Sanctity of Georgia’s Voting equipment has become an Issue in the Race for Secretary of State to Replace Kemp when his Term ends at the end of this year.
Democrat John Barrow said if he’s Elected, he would Decertify the Electronic Voting machines, an Action that would compel the State to use Paper Ballots as a Backup.
Republican David Belle Isle, Candidate for Georgia Secretary of State, said he Supports moving toward Paper Ballots in Georgia, but not Unilaterally through the Power of the Courts or the Secretary of State’s Office. “That’s an extreme remedy,” said Belle Isle, the former Mayor of Alpharetta. “The state of Georgia deserves an honest conversation about what’s next and what creates voter confidence.” He said Georgia Lawmakers should decide on a Voting system next year.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
