Elections

Hold Open and Fair Elections

I will guarantee that elections are open to all qualified voters, that they are fair and honest and that ballots are secure.

All Georgians agree that only citizens are allowed to cast ballots in our elections. However, the role of the Secretary of State should never be to deny voting rights to any lawful voter.
I will work closely with the counties and cities and with the federal government to create a verification system that protects every person’s right to vote. We cannot afford discrimination in democracy.

Civility in elections should not be a memory. It should be an obligation of every candidate for public office to run for office with the same integrity we expect them to hold in office.
As Secretary of State, I will work with both parties and with local officials to monitor campaign tactics that violate state or local laws (such as defacing and stealing signs, false advertising in campaign literature and voter intimidation).

Georgia must be a leader in protecting the voter’s right to choose their representatives. As of now, we continue to face questions about our ballots process.
We must carefully strike a balance between the convenience and increased access of Direct Recording Electronic voting (touchscreen) and the need to protect and prove a vote through an independent record. DRE voting has allowed the visually impaired to access voting in a manner they never could before without assistance and it has improved the accuracy of voting.
However, when an election is challenged, the only way to verify a vote is by using the exact same electronic card that may be at fault. The right voter system must allow for human error and human common sense.
As Secretary of State, I would consider a variety of options, including a hybrid system similar to Ohio, which uses DRE and Optical Scans.