Seven members of the Georgia General Assembly have filed a bill that would call on members of the State Election Board to appoint a chief elections assistance officer.
According to the language of the bill, this person would work for the secretary of state to help manage and oversee elections.
The Georgia General Assembly’s website identifies State Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville) as the bill’s primary sponsor. Miller and the other six sponsors did not return The Georgia Star News’ requests for comment before Thursday’s stated deadline.
The seven legislators, in their bill, described the chief elections assistance officer’s primary duties.
“The chief elections assistance officer shall identify and recruit, as needed, election assistance coaches to assist the Secretary of State and the State Election Board in supporting low-performing election superintendents and registrars and improving election administration in their respective jurisdictions,” according to the language of the bill.
“Such coaches shall have significant experience and training in election administration and election law.”
If legislators enact Miller’s bill into law then this chief elections assistance officer would also evaluate election management practices and procedures. This person would also help identify what resources county election superintendents might need, according to the language of the bill.
State Election Board members, the bill went on to say, may suspend any county election superintendents who don’t implement recommended corrective measures.
Any chief elections assistance officer must have prior experience managing elections at the county level, the bill said.
As The Star News reported Thursday, Georgia State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) has introduced seven separate bills that he said will reform Georgia’s election system. In a press release, Mullis said last November’s general election highlighted problems “that require urgent attention.”
As The Star Newsreported last week, Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-Cumming) said he wants legislators to discuss “serious, meaningful election reform” during the current legislative session. He suggested state officials require a photo ID if people vote absentee. Duncan, during a press conference at the Georgia State Capital in Atlanta, also pitched the idea of a statewide grand jury to monitor possible election fraud.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ballot Machine” by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. CC BY-SA 2.0.
