This legislative week reminds us that one of the most vital aspects of a functioning republic is election integrity.
This century has seen election day in the United States devolve into election season. Races that were once determined within hours are litigated for months. Public trust in the process erodes further. Apathy and cynicism become more prevalent.
The Georgia Senate Ethics Committee is scheduled to consider two bills aimed to address election integrity this evening. Each bill originated in the Georgia House of Representatives.
HB 974 is a bill that provides for the establishment and maintenance of the proper scanning and tabulation of paper ballots for primary and general elections by the Georgia secretary of state, and would repeal any acts that conflict with the language of HB 974.
HB 977 concerns the expansion of "risk-limiting audits" in Georgia state primary and general elections (and any special elections or runoffs). The legislation instructs local election superintendents to execute manual inspections of randomly selected paper ballots in public view, and provide details of any audit within 48 hours.
HB 974 was favorably reported out of the Georgia House Committee on Governmental Affairs and was adopted by the House of Representatives without a dissenting vote. HB 977 was passed by an overwhelming margin in the House.
The Georgia Senate Ethics Committee hearing will take place at 6:00 p.m. ET in room 310 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building (CLOB).
It is of paramount importance that state legislatures such as Georgia address election integrity in order to restore legitimacy to, and confidence in, this most fundamental of civic rituals in a representative republic.
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