Website warning of cyberattack in Georgiaโs largest county removed after it confused some voters
Officials in Georgia's most populous county have removed a banner from their website warning of an โunexpected IT outageโ after it created confusion on the final day of voting for the presidential primary.
Democrats sue for Saturday voting in Georgia Senate runoff
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnockโs campaign and Democratic groups are suing the state of Georgia to overturn guidance by Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that counties canโt offer Saturday voting ahead of next monthโs Senate runoff election.
What's the 'speech or debate' clause cited in Georgia probe?
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is citing the โspeech or debateโ clause of the Constitution as he tries to avoid testifying before a special grand jury thatโs investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others tried to illegally influence the 2020 election in Georgia.
Georgia's Raffensperger among witnesses for next 1/6 hearing
The House Jan. 6 committee is expected to hear testimony from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about the extraordinary pressure he faced from former President Donald Trump to โfind 11,780โ votes that could flip the state to prevent Joe Bidenโs election victory.
Takeaways: Trumpโs big defeat; election denial backfiring
Former President Donald Trumpโs crusade for vengeance suffered two devastating blows when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won their primaries despite rejecting Trumpโs entreaties to reverse his 2020 election loss.
Marjorie Taylor Greene hostile in testimony over eligibility
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was hostile during testimony in a hearing on her eligibility to run for reelection, saying she did not remember liking and making various social media posts surrounding the attack on the U.S. Capitol last year.
Records show pressure by Trump, allies on Arizona officials
Newly released records show the top Republicans in Arizonaโs largest county dodged calls from Donald Trump and his allies in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as the then-president sought to prevent the certification of Joe Bidenโs victory in key battleground states.
Georgia GOP still seeking a fight over Trump election loss
In a once reliably Republican Georgia congressional district that has turned into a swing district held by a Democrat, a GOP congressional convention on Saturday showed activists consumed by the unproven belief that Donald Trump had been cheated out of the 2020 presidential election.
New lawsuit challenges Georgiaโs GOP-backed election law
The change to Georgiaโs election law comes after Democrats won the presidential contest and two U.S. Senate runoffs in the once reliably red state. The new election law was signed Thursday by Republican Gov. It also bans people from handing out food or water to voters waiting in line and allows the Republican-controlled State Election Board to remove and replace county election officials. A group of black-clad supporters surrounded state Rep. Park Cannon, an Atlanta Democrat, some wearing โStand with Parkโ T-shirts. โIโm here today to stand for Park Cannon, to stand for state Rep. Park Cannon and deplore the treatment she received at the hands of state troopers,โ Orrock said.
Georgia's new GOP election law draws criticism, lawsuits
(AP Photo/Ben Gray)ATLANTA โ Critics of Georgia's new Republican-backed election law issued fresh calls Monday to boycott some of the stateโs largest businesses for not speaking out more forcefully against the law, a day after advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging it. The new election law was signed Thursday by Republican Gov. It also bans people from handing out food or water to voters waiting in line and allows the Republican-controlled State Election Board to remove and replace county election officials. โGeorgiaโs Election Integrity Act that I signed into law expands early voting and secures our vote-by-mail system to protect the integrity of our elections,โ Kemp said in a recent tweet. But he said he does not support provisions that remove him as the chair of the State Election Board and replaces him with an appointee of the state legislature.
Trump endorses challenger against Georgia elections chief
ATLANTA โ Former President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed a conservative Georgia congressman in his bid to unseat the Republican secretary of state who refused to help overturn the November election results. โUnlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. โFew have done more to cynically undermine faith in our election system than Jody Hice,โ Raffensperger said. โEvery Georgian, in fact every American, has the right to be outraged by the actions and, simultaneously, the inaction of our Secretary of State,โ Hice added. He was among the many Republican officials in Georgia who relentlessly pushed Trumpโs false claims of voter fraud last fall.
Trump endorses challenger against Georgia elections chief
(Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)ATLANTA โ Former President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed a conservative Georgia congressman in his bid to unseat the Republican secretary of state who refused to help overturn the November election results. โUnlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. โFew have done more to cynically undermine faith in our election system than Jody Hice," Raffensperger said. โEvery Georgian, in fact every American, has the right to be outraged by the actions and, simultaneously, the inaction of our Secretary of State,โ Hice added. He was among the many Republican officials in Georgia who relentlessly pushed Trumpโs false claims of voter fraud last fall.
Georgia GOP leaders who stood up to Trump back voting bills
In Georgia, Georgia Gov. Both men say they support Georgia Republicansโ efforts to enact an ID requirement for absentee voting that would do away with the stateโs signature matching system, which Trump heavily attacked. As Trump disputed Democrat Joe Bidenโs victory in Georgia, Raffensperger argued the election was accurate and fair. The House version, which passed Monday on a party-line vote, would require a photo ID for absentee voting and limit the number of weekend days counties can schedule early voting, among many other changes. The Senate bill would limit absentee voting to just seniors, people with disabilities and people whoโll be out of town.
Georgia GOP leaders who stood up to Trump back voting bills
Both men say they support Georgia Republicans' efforts to enact an ID requirement for absentee voting that would do away with the state's signature matching system, which Trump heavily attacked. As Trump disputed Democrat Joe Bidenโs victory in Georgia, Raffensperger argued the election was accurate and fair. A recorded conversation between Trump and Raffensperger leaked to media, allowing the public to hear Trump pressure Raffensperger and his office to โfind 11,000-plus votesโ to reverse Bidenโs win. The House version, which passed Monday on a party-line vote, would require a photo ID for absentee voting and limit the number of weekend days counties can schedule early voting, among many other changes. The Senate bill would limit absentee voting to just seniors, people with disabilities and people whoโll be out of town.
Investigation into election heads to Georgia grand jury
A Georgia prosecutor is investigating potential efforts by former President Trumpโs effort to influence last yearโs general election. At the heart of District Attorney Fani Willisโs investigation is the call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In a Jan. 2 telephone conversation with Raffensperger, Trump repeatedly suggested Raffensperger could change the certified results of the presidential election, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. โI find it particularly peculiar the way that he left and when he left,โ Willis said of Pak. Thatโs just logical.โPrior to his call with Raffensperger, Trump tried unsuccessfully to pressure others in Georgia.
Georgia prosecutor investigating Trump call urges patience
Her office confirmed that the probe includes a call in which Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to โfindโ enough votes to overturn Joe Bidenโs win in the state. Following the November general election, Trump refused to accept his loss by about 12,000 votes in Georgia, long a Republican stronghold. In a Jan. 2 telephone conversation with Raffensperger, Trump repeatedly suggested Raffensperger could change the certified results of the presidential election, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. โBJayโ Pak, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Atlanta, was a โnever-Trumperโ โ a term often used for conservative critics of Trump. Thatโs just logical.โPrior to his call with Raffensperger, Trump tried unsuccessfully to pressure others in Georgia.
Georgia election officials investigate Trump call
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, right, walks to his office in the Capitol Building Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, in Atlanta. โThe Secretary of Stateโs office investigates complaints it receives. Trump had refused to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden and focused much of his attention on Georgia, a traditionally red state that he narrowly lost. During the Jan. 2 phone call, Trump repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, said in a statement that there was โnothing improper or untoward about a scheduled call between President Trump, Secretary Raffensperger and lawyers on both sides.โInvestigators will present their findings to the state election board, which will then decide how to proceed.
Georgia election officials investigate Trump call
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, right, walks to his office in the Capitol Building Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, in Atlanta. โThe Secretary of Stateโs office investigates complaints it receives. Trump had refused to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden and focused much of his attention on Georgia, a traditionally red state that he narrowly lost. During the Jan. 2 phone call, Trump repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, said in a statement that there was โnothing improper or untoward about a scheduled call between President Trump, Secretary Raffensperger and lawyers on both sides.โInvestigators will present their findings to the state election board, which will then decide how to proceed.
Trump pressured Georgia to โfind the fraudโ in earlier call
It occurred as election officials were conducting an audit of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes in Cobb County. Trump pressed the investigator to look into Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold that contains most of Atlanta. AdVarious election officials across the country and Trumpโs former attorney general, William Barr, have said there was no widespread fraud in the election. During another call in early December, Trump pressed Georgia Gov. In last weekโs call with Raffensperger, Trump urged the secretary of state to change the certified results.
AP confirms Ossoffโs win. Itโs a 50/50 split in US Senate
Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Loeffler has not yet conceded, but the Associated Press and major television networks declared Warnock the winner early Wednesday morning. At midday Wednesday, unofficial results showed Warnock was more than 44,000 votes ahead of Loeffler. Democrats will now have a majority in the Senate the first two years of Joe Bidenโs presidency. It shatters the previous 2.1 million set in 2008 in the runoff between Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin.
โStay in the fight.โ Kelly Loeffler stalls concession despite Warnockโs projected win
A defiant Sen. Kelly Loeffler has not yet conceded to her opponent Raphael Warnock, who has been declared the projected winner in the Georgia Senate runoff. Of the votes counted so far, the margin separating Warnock and Loeffler is 1.2%. In the other Senate runoff race, Democrat Ossoff was in the lead by more than 17,000 votes. That would also likely widen Warnockโs lead over Sen. Loeffler, keeping him even further out of recount territory. The Secretary of Stateโs deadline to certify state results is January 22.
Warnock makes history with Senate win as Dems near majority
ATLANTA โ Democrat Raphael Warnock won one of Georgiaโs two Senate runoffs Wednesday, becoming the first Black senator in his stateโs history and putting the Senate majority within the party's reach. Warnock, 51, acknowledged his improbable victory in a message to supporters early Wednesday, citing his familyโs experience with poverty. Trump's claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election, while meritless, resonated with Republican voters in Georgia. AP VoteCast found that 6 in 10 Georgia voters say Senate party control was the most important factor in their vote. โI feel like for the Republican candidates to still stand there with Trump and campaign with Trump feels pretty rotten.
Trump, on tape, presses Ga. official to โfindโ him votes
The Republican president, who has refused to accept his loss to Democratic President-elect Biden, repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results. Because we won the state," said Trump, who is scheduled to be at a rally in Georgia Monday evening. โPresident Trump, weโve had several lawsuits, and weโve had to respond in court to the lawsuits and the contentions," Raffensperger told Trump on the call. โTo say that I am troubled by President Trumpโs attempt to manipulate the votes of Georgians would be an understatement,โ Worley wrote. Raffenspergerโs Twitter response: โRespectfully, President Trump: What youโre saying is not true.
Trump, on tape, presses Georgia official to โfindโ Trump votes
Georgia counted its votes three times before certifying Biden's win by a 11,779 margin, Raffensperger noted: โPresident Trump, weโve had several lawsuits, and weโve had to respond in court to the lawsuits and the contentions. The Associated Press obtained the full audio of Trumpโs conversation with Georgia officials from a person on the call. The Georgia officials on the call are heard repeatedly pushing back against the presidentโs assertions, telling him that heโs relying on debunked theories and, in one case, selectively edited video. โHe has no clue!โ Trump tweeted of Raffensperger, saying the state official โwas unwilling, or unableโ to answer questions. Raffenspergerโs Twitter response: โRespectfully, President Trump: What youโre saying is not true.
Georgia governor pushes back on Trumpโs call for resignation
Trump said earlier in the day that Kemp, a fellow Republican, was an โobstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG!" Investigators who audited the signatures on more than 15,000 absentee ballot envelopes in one Georgia county found โno fraudulent absentee ballots,โ according to the audit report. Before submitting an absentee ballot, a voter must sign an oath on an outer envelope. When county election officials receive an absentee ballot, they must compare the signature to the absentee ballot application if one exists and to the signature on file. If the signature does match, the ballot is separated from the envelope to protect the right to ballot secrecy guaranteed by Georgia law.
Group says itโs challenging residency of 364K Georgia voters
SAVANNAH, Ga. โ A conservative group said Friday that itโs challenging the eligibility of more than 364,000 Georgia voters before election officials in each of the stateโs 159 counties ahead of January runoff elections that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. โToday we assisted concerned Georgia voters in taking a stand for the sanctity of every legal vote.โThe group said voters are being challenged based on questions about their residency based on change of address data obtained from the U.S. A similar challenge targeting more than 4,000 voters in Muscogee County, which includes Columbus, was found to have probable cause Wednesday by county election officials, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported. The judge refused to order county election officials to reconsider in a brief ruling that said federal election law preempted Georgia law. โWe write to warn all county Georgia elections officials that participating in this charade violates state and federal law,โ wrote Sean Young, legal director of the ACLU of Georgia.
Georgia to audit one countyโs signatures on ballot envelopes
ATLANTA โ Georgiaโs secretary of state on Monday announced an audit of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes in one county, but the outcome of the presidential race in the state will not change as a result of the audit. Before submitting an absentee ballot, a voter must sign an oath on an outer envelope. When county election officials receive an absentee ballot, they must compare the signature to the absentee ballot application if one exists and to the signature on file. If the signature does match, the ballot is separated from the envelope to protect the right to ballot secrecy guaranteed by Georgia law. A statistically significant subset of signed absentee ballot envelopes will be audited, his office said.
Georgia high court rejects latest Trump election appeal
ATLANTA โ President Donald Trump has lost his latest legal challenge seeking to overturn Georgia's election results, with the state Supreme Court's rejection late Saturday of a case from Trump's campaign and Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer. The case was subsequently appealed directly to the state Supreme Court, asking justices to consider the case before Mondayโs meeting of the Electoral College. Itโs the latest legal setback in the presidentโs efforts to overturn the election results. In Georgia, he has rained criticism on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Last week, Raffensberger again recertified the stateโs election results after a recount requested by Trump confirmed once again that Biden won the state, and the governor then recertified the stateโs 16 presidential electors.
GOP voters ready for Georgia runoffs despite Trump's claims
Many Republican voters in Georgia are angry; certain that widespread voter fraud claims of which are baseless cost President Donald Trump the election. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)ATLANTA โ Many Republican voters in Georgia are angry. They're convinced that widespread voter fraud โ claims that are baseless โ cost President Donald Trump the election to Democrat Joe Biden. But interviews with voters and party activists in the state suggest there's little sign that Trump's voters are planning to stay home in protest. Jeanne Seaver, a Republican activist in Georgia who worked on Trump's 2016 campaign, said she believes that Republican voters will still come out to support Perdue and Loeffler despite the anger on the ground.
Georgia secretary of state wins praise from Schwarzenegger
ATLANTA โ Georgiaโs secretary of state has received death threats over his handling of last monthโs election, but he's found a fan in Arnold Schwarzenegger. The call was organized by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger explained to Raffensperger that the institute plans to bestow Democracy Action Hero awards next week over Zoom. The institute has received more requests for polling center grants from Georgia than from any other state and has invested $1.4 million in grants for polling sites in the state, Schwarzenegger said. He thanked Raffensperger for not standing in the way of opening more polling sites, saying election officials in some states have rejected their efforts.
Georgia to again certify election results showing Biden won
ATLANTA โ Georgiaโs top elections official said his office plans to recertify the stateโs election results Monday after a recount requested by President Donald Trump confirmed once again that Democrat Joe Biden won the state. Georgia law allows a losing candidate to request a recount if the margin between the candidates is within 0.5%. Since the results of a recount become the official results, those counties had to recertify their results. The secretary of stateโs office was still waiting Monday on one county โ Coffee County in south Georgia โ to recertify its results. After the initial count following Election Day, Raffensperger selected the presidential race for an audit required by state law.
Georgia investigates Florida manโs possible steps to vote illegally
MARIETTA, Ga. โ Election officials are investigating the actions of a Florida lawyer who they say tried to register to vote in a high-stakes runoff in Georgia that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. Moving to Georgia just to vote โ with no intention of staying in the state afterward โ can amount to a felony, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement Thursday announcing the investigation. The lawyer went online and attempted to register to vote using the address of his brother in Hiram, Georgia, said Deidre Holden, the elections supervisor in Paulding County, Georgia. โThis is not about Republican or Democrat โ this is about doing whatโs right,โ Holden told The Associated Press on Thursday. But Holden said sheโs interested in learning whether any other out-of-state residents tried to register in Georgia after being encouraged to do so at the Florida rally.
Georgia GOP seeks mail-in ballot changes after Bidenโs win
Republicans are zeroing in on a plan to require a photo ID for ballots cast by mail. Brian Kemp, both Republicans who have been publicly lambasted by Trump, have joined the push to require a photo ID for absentee voting. She said that while signature matches provide some security for mail-in ballots, the process should be shored up. Democrats and voting rights groups have for years sought to decrease rejections of absentee ballots in Georgia, arguing that minorities have been disproportionately affected. Absentee ballots are sometimes rejected because signatures on the outer envelope are deemed not to match signatures in the voter registration system, or because the envelope is not signed at all.
Georgia elections official urges Trump to rein in supporters
In this Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 photo, Gabriel Sterling a top Georgia elections official stands during a news conference, in Atlanta. On Tuesday Dec. 1, 2020, Sterling called on President Donald Trump to condemn supporters who have threatened violence against election officials. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA โ A top Georgia elections official on Tuesday lashed out angrily at the rhetoric surrounding the election and the threats of violence that have resulted, specifically calling on President Donald Trump to rein in his supporters. โRigged Election,โ Trump tweeted. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler both issued statements Tuesday evening condemning violence but also criticizing election officials, according to news outlets.
Georgia election official tells President Trump, GOP senators: โYou need to step upโ
This has to stop,โ Sterling said. โโฆDeath threats, physical threats, intimidation is too much. โBe the bigger man here and step in and tell your supporters to stop,โ Sterling said. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler both issued statements Tuesday evening condemning violence but also criticizing election officials, according to news outlets. โLike many officials, as someone who has been the subject of threats, of course Senator Loeffler condemns violence of any kind.
Georgia secretary of state announces investigations, defends election
ATLANTA โ Georgia's top elections official announced investigations Monday into potential violations of election law even as he defended the integrity of the state's election against what he's said are baseless attacks. A sworn statement from a Republican official in Gwinnett County, in Atlanta's suburbs, says there were more absentee ballots than absentee ballot envelopes, Sterling said. Under state law, a trailing candidate can request a recount when the margin is less than 0.5%. After the initial tally following Election Day, Raffensperger selected the presidential race for an audit required by state law. Signatures on absentee ballot envelopes must be verified against signatures in the voter registration system when theyโre received.
President Trump on Gov. Brian Kemp: โIโm ashamed that I endorsed himโ
On Monday, Camden County will begin its recount of the Presidential race, where Joe Biden narrowly defeated President Donald Trump. Iโm ashamed that I endorsed him.โKemp and State Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have been targets of Trump loyalists who are pushing allegations of election fraud in the state, and that push is registering with Republican voters in Georgia. Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, spoke with Georgia Republicans this weekend about the upcoming senate run off races in Georgia. โIs this an issue Republican leadership needs to address on concerns Republican voters may have?โ Absolutely,โ Binder said. That case is ongoing and alleges massive election fraud.
In Georgia, Republicans juggle Biden win and Trump loyalties
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)GAINESVILLE, Ga. โ Twin Georgia Senate runoffs have Republicans in a quandary. They could admit President Donald Trump lost his re-election bid and turn all attention to salvaging a Senate majority to counter President-elect Joe Biden. โIโm here because I stand with President Donald Trump,โ Pence declared in Gainesville, Georgia. Brian Kemp, himself a former Georgia secretary of state, on social media. The 60-year-old came to see Pence, Loeffler and both Perdues, but made clear she was there because of her loyalties to the president.
Georgia counties set to start recount requested by Trump
ATLANTA โ After the Trump campaign requested a recount of the presidential ballots in Georgia, county election workers have just over a week to complete the new tally, a top elections official said Monday. Under state law, a candidate can request a recount when the margin is less than 0.5%. The Trump campaign on Saturday sent a formal request for a recount to the secretary of stateโs office. After the initial count following Election Day, Raffensperger selected the presidential race for an audit required by state law. A state election board rule mandates that the recount requested by the Trump campaign be done by machine.
Trump team requests recount of Georgiaโs presidential race
Georgia's results showed Biden beating Trump by 12,670 votes out of about 5 million cast, or 0.25%. A Trump legal team statement said: โToday, the Trump campaign filed a petition for recount in Georgia. We are focused on ensuring that every aspect of Georgia State Law and the U.S. Constitution are followed so that every legal vote is counted. County election workers have already done a complete hand recount of all the votes cast in the presidential race. State law requires that one race be audited by hand to ensure that the machines counted the ballots accurately, and Raffensperger selected the presidential race.