In recent developments in Georgia, a strategic approach led by conservative activists is unfolding discreetly to refine voter rolls without necessitating formal legal challenges. This initiative, gaining traction not only in Georgia but across various states, seeks to streamline the removal of outdated or erroneous voter registrations through less conspicuous methods. This maneuver stands to significantly impact the legal and electoral landscape, posing key questions on transparency and voter rights.
Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, asserts that any living voter removed from the rolls must receive notification. However, with Georgia comprising 159 counties and lacking uniform statewide regulations on these informal procedures, the implementation remains inconsistent. The approach offers an efficient albeit controversial means for voter roll maintenance, allowing voters erroneously removed to cast provisional ballots. This initiative coincides with the enactment of a new Georgia law that could escalate formal voter challenges.
This new legislation has raised alarms among Democrats and voting rights advocates, who interpret these efforts as a continued suppression tactic rooted in Georgia’s historical context of disenfranchisement. State Representative Saira Draper underscores the need for procedural transparency and voter protections inherent in formal challenges, which are potentially bypassed by this discreet strategy.
The informal approach has found success, notably in Cobb County where voters were removed based on death inquiries. Proponents of this initiative, like Republican activist Jason Frazier, view it as a corrective service, verifying voter eligibility. This effort represents a broader national campaign spearheaded by allies of former President Donald Trump, aimed at cleansing voter lists under the guise of combating electoral fraud.
An Associated Press investigation revealed that over 18,000 voters have been challenged across Georgia’s largest counties in 2023 and 2024, with most challenges dismissed by counties. The contested new law permits use of the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address list as a basis for challenges, despite criticism regarding its reliability. The state’s lack of specific guidelines further complicates the law’s execution, which may profoundly alter voter roll maintenance.
Federal law mandates a multi-step process for removing voters who have relocated, requiring non-response to mailings and non-participation in two federal general elections. However, activists argue these protocols are insufficient against potential electoral fraud. Figures like Douglas Frank have championed the use of software like EagleAI to expedite challenges, invoking a constitutional duty to maintain voter roll integrity.
True the Vote, an organization known for contesting voter registrations, previously challenged hundreds of thousands of Georgia voters. Their efforts have intensified using EagleAI, a tool developed by Dr. John “Rick” Richards Jr. While initially promoted as employing AI, EagleAI’s current methodology involves databases compiled by conservative activists, dedicated to identifying ineligible voters.
Richards, along with allies such as GOP attorney Cleta Mitchell, advocate for this technology as a means to uphold electoral integrity. Recently, EagleAI was procured by Columbia County’s election board, a unique instance among Georgia’s governments. Despite technical delays, Richards remains optimistic about the software’s potential to normalize voter roll maintenance practices.
In practice, local election officials have exercised prudence, ensuring that ineligible voters are not removed without due process. For example, Cobb County meticulously verifies data before removing voters purportedly deceased, emphasizing adherence to evidence and procedural votes.
This evolving tactic reflects a pivotal shift in electoral strategy among conservative activists, aiming to enhance the accuracy of voter rolls while navigating the complexities of legal and ethical standards. As this movement progresses, it will undoubtedly shape the discourse on voter eligibility, integrity, and the fundamental tenets of the American electoral system.
