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Early voting running smoothly despite some questioning software

News December 17, 2020 , by Lonnie Adams

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Once again, Gilmer County is returning to the ballot box for the early voting procedures for the 2020 elections, though this time addressing the runoff elections.

With the actual election day in January and early voting continuing through the end of 2020, Sherri Jones, boardmember of the Board of Voter Registration and Registrar for Gilmer County, said that the lines have been going smoother than in November. Sharing with FYN an update, she noted that many citizens have commented on the easier and quicker progression through the lines.

A small line forms as voters wait to enter the Registrar’s Office for in-person early voting in Gilmer County.

Jones said the staff has stayed very busy with three check-in stations processing voters and five voting machines in operation. She also noted that they have run four check-in stations if a line starts to build up as well. This is not any different as Jones said they operated similarly in the November Election.

However, Jones said a smaller ballot helps some as people are spending less time on the machines deciding and registering their votes. As they have gone through their first two completed days of operation in early voting, Gilmer saw 576 early voters on Monday, and 601 early voters on Tuesday. As they near completion of their third day, Jones said they have audited their lines and operations several times, never seeing more than a maximum of 15 minutes waiting in line.

But in almost three days, the in-person total of 1,637 in-person voters are only a third of the story. Jones said that between the state and county, they have 3,368 registered ballots in the mail locally and another 42 ballots sent digitally to those in military service overseas.

With only 15 minutes wait-times reported, Gilmer’s voters and registrars are both pleased with way the runoff election is performing in the opening days of early voting.

These are being returned via mail or through the ballot-box drop-off in front of the courthouse. Processing these comes with its own challenges as officials must register the ballots, confirm signatures, and, in some cases, re-mail confirmations. Jones said that a few of their by-mail ballots have had to have confirmation forms sent out to re-affirm signatures that may have been questioned or rejected. Jones said that, for example, they cannot accept ballots signed by a spouse. Citizens voting by mail should keep an eye out just in case they might be one of the few needing to sign a secondary form.

However, with all the normal challenges of operating the early voting process, Jones said the biggest issue they have faced so far is faith in the machines.

Jones said that they have had several people questioning their votes and the Dominion software used in counting them.

She said the office is assuring the public that they have confirmed the operations and counting software after having gone through the November Election, an audit and hand-counted-recount of that election, and a second recount of the ballots through the machines. All of which matched “to the ‘T,'” according to Jones.

They are continuing early voting through the next two weeks until New Years as the office is remaining open except for the recognized holidays. As previously reported from Chief Registrar Tammy Watkins, as of now, early voting will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, as well as for New Year’s Day, January 1.

“The eyes of America are on Georgia:” Perdue encourages North Georgians to vote

News, Politics December 11, 2020 , by Lauren Souther

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga: Senator David Perdue weaved his way through the North Georgia Mountains on Tuesday, December 8, visiting Fannin, Union, and Towns Counties.

The stops were part of his 125-city bus tour to get the vote out ahead of the January 5 runoff. Both Georgia Senators Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are in runoffs, Perdue against Jon Ossoff (D) and Loeffler against Raphael Warnock (D). The outcome of the two races will determine control of the U.S. Senate – a point that Perdue drove home during his stump speech.

The November 3 election outcome left some Georgia Republicans feeling disenfranchised and are debating whether to stay home on January 5. Former members of the Trump legal team, Lin Wood and Sydney Powell strengthened that sentiment last week when they encouraged Georgians not to vote unless it was secure.

Senator Perdue speaking to a crowd of 100 in Blairsville.

Perdue addressed those voters who might skip the runoff:

“Here’s the issue, if you don’t vote in January, we’re just letting the Democrats win. We know what their agenda is. They want to go to a one-party, socialist agenda. We have to stop them, and the eyes of America are on Georgia right now. It’s up to us. Our responsibility in Georgia is to get out and vote to stop these Democrats and to protect what President Trump has accomplished in four years.”

He warned of the radical leftist agenda, including stacking the supreme court, removing the electoral college, and federalized mail-in voting.

Former Georgia Governor and current Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue introduced his cousin and told the crowd of “heroes” to “vote early.” He added that no one knows what the weather will be like in January in the mountains.

“David Perdue still stands by the strong conservative, free enterprise, capitalistic principles that called him to go to Washington,” the Former Governor remarked.

Watch a sit-down interview with the Senator.

Each Perdue made it clear that they weren’t happy with the outcome of the General Election. Senator David Perdue expressed his strong support for the President. Reminding the audience, he was one of two senators who backed then-candidate Trump in 2016.

Senator Perdue, former Governor Sonny Perdue, and Union County Commissioner Lamar Paris (D).

Perdue fell short of the 50 percent margin by approximately 7,000 votes in November, which pushed him into a runoff with Ossoff.

Georgia’s Senior Senator is optimistic about his chances:

“Well, we just won this election. In most states, other than one, we would have already been reelected. My margin of victory was two points; that’s more than a lot of Republicans that already got reelected this time in other states. So, I think that’s the best poll right now out there is what we had then.”

He commented that the Democrats didn’t receive more than 47.5 percent in the General Election. As long as the base turns out, Perdue believes they’ll be fine.

As for President Trump’s chances to overturn Georgia’s election, Perdue isn’t involved in that process as a federal official. It’s a state issue, and he’s focused on winning in January. Perdue and Loeffler did call for the resignation of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger shortly after the November Election.

“I’m very concerned about the issues that are coming out that Stacey Abrams has perpetrated here over the last two years,” the Senator observed. “I have confidence that sooner or later we’re going to get to the bottom of it. What I’ve got to make sure of is we don’t have the same thing potential issues in January.”

Georgia early voting begins next week on December 14 until December 31, closed on holidays. Absentee voting has already started. According to reports, almost a million absentee ballots have already been requested.