Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has launched a new bipartisan Election Integrity Task Force, announced in a press release Wednesday.
The advisory group, which consists of election officials and policy experts, intends to work to keep Georgia’s elections fair and secure.
With decades of experience in public service, election administration, and law enforcement, the advisory group plans to call on their different perspectives and expertise to have continued discussions on election integrity and security. The task force will serve as an ongoing forum, seeking to identify emerging challenges and find solutions to maintain transparency and confidence from Georgians across the state.
“Georgia has the most secure elections in America and we intend to keep it that way,” Secretary Raffensperger said in a statement. “This bipartisan group brings together leaders with different backgrounds and perspectives who share a commitment to protecting every lawful vote and strengthening public confidence in our elections.”
The nine-person task force features members from both parties and election law experts:
- Former State Senator Don Balfour, Senior Advisor to the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network
- Former Governor Roy Barnes, Democracy Defense Foundation
- Nancy Boren, Muscogee County Elections and Registration Director
- Former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Democracy Defense Foundation
- Former U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson, Democracy Defense Foundation
- Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Democracy Defense Foundation
- Election law expert Ben Ginsberg
- Joseph Kirk, Bartow County Elections Supervisor and Immediate Past President of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials
- Terry Norris, Executive Director of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association
Ahead of November’s midterm elections, Raffensperger hopes this new task force will help convey the measures the state is taking to ensure the elections continue to be fair and safe.
“Election security begins well before Election Day,” Raffensperger said. “There are months of preparation, testing, training, coordination, and security work that voters may never see. This Task Force will help ensure that work is coordinated and that Georgians understand the safeguards in place to protect their vote.”
