ATLANTA and WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Georgia State Representative Colton Moore R-GA, informed Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to turn the Georgia election review and certification over to the State Legislature. He became the first State Legislator in the United States to support such a measure within a State’s Legislative branch of government. Days later, Moore’s emergency concerns were published in the Washington Post.
Rep. Moore has since released this follow-up statement on November 30 to the 53,820 citizens he represents and the entire state of Georgia:
Citizens of Georgia,
I will support delaying the directive of Georgia’s electoral votes until allegations against Dominion Voting Systems, the unauthorized distribution of absentee ballots, and the firing of Georgia election officials in multiple counties can be cleared of reasonable suspicion.
The Governor and Secretary of State created election “laws” that were never approved by the Georgia Legislature. The Secretary of State sent absentee ballot applications out to every Georgia voter without requiring voters to meet the application eligibility standard the law sets forth. The Secretary of State broke this law, destroyed election integrity and our legislative intent they were charged with. This action has now induced this terrible situation our State is in. Georgians can judge for themselves with the laws that have existed for years.
Georgia O.C.G.A § 21-2-381 - Making of application for absentee ballot;
(C) The application shall be in writing and shall contain sufficient information for proper identification of the elector; the permanent or temporary address of the elector to which the absentee ballot shall be mailed; the identity of the primary, election, or runoff in which the elector wishes to vote; and the name and relationship of the person requesting the ballot if other than the elector.
(4)(b)(1) Upon receipt of a timely application for an absentee ballot, a registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall enter thereon the date received. The registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall determine, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, if the applicant is eligible to vote in the primary or election involved. In order to be found eligible to vote an absentee ballot by mail, the registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall compare the identifying information on the application with the information on file in the registrar's office and, if the application is signed by the elector, compare the signature or mark of the elector on the application with the signature or mark of the elector on the elector's voter registration card. In order to be found eligible to vote an absentee ballot in person at the registrar's office or absentee ballot clerk's office, such person shall show one of the forms of identification listed in Code Section 21-2-417 and the registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall compare the identifying information on the application with the information on file in the registrar's office.
(2) If found eligible, the registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall certify by signing in the proper place on the application and shall either mail the ballot as provided in this Code section or issue the ballot to the elector to be voted within the confines of the registrar's or absentee ballot clerk's office or deliver the ballot in person to the elector if such elector is confined to a hospital.
(3) If found ineligible, the clerk or the board of registrars shall deny the application by writing the reason for rejection in the proper space on the application and shall promptly notify the applicant in writing of the ground of ineligibility, a copy of which notification should be retained on file in the office of the board of registrars or absentee ballot clerk for at least one year.
This law and legislatively-approved process already existed to ensure broad participation and security of the absentee ballot voting process. Actions by the Governor’s administration violated this law and undermined all integrity of the election. Now, the Governor and Secretary want to wipe all Georgia voting systems and reset the machines to zero this week?
Resetting these machines would destroy evidence currently being sought in multiple courts and in the interest of our State’s cybersecurity defense measures and review process. To add insult to injury, the Governor certified this election with serious doubts about the integrity of the signature verification process.
Unfortunately, this situation is one where the Governor has abused his emergency powers outside the bounds of existing Georgia law. The Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor have the power to convene a Special Session.
By restricting the Legislature to act only furthers the damage if and when the Supreme Court intervenes. The inability to present a confident result, coupled with the actions of the current and previous Secretary of State, have left Georgia in the wake of three scandal-ridden General elections. This Governor’s vision for our elections is ripping us apart.
Together, with Representative Vernon Jones, Senator Brandon Beach, Senator Greg Dolezal, Senator Burt Jones, and Senator William Ligon we call for a Special Session. Without an understanding of these terminations and a review of the absentee ballot distribution that violated Georgia law, the people of Dade and Walker County demand this Special Session immediately.
We want election officials involved in DeKalb and Floyd County voting issues under oath immediately. These election officials were terminated and involved in altering thousands of votes, later corrected by their county. Americans deserve an explanation for their termination.
Let this evidence, the admission by Vice President Joe Biden, and these allegations be considered by the Georgia Legislature. If they do not rise to the bar required to further a Special Session, I would support the Georgia Legislature confirming Governor Kemp’s certification for Joe Biden to bring some peace and confidence back into our State and America. Until then, it is difficult for Citizens to have any type of faith in this election process.
Sincerely,
Rep. Colton Moore
A copy of Rep. Moore’s original emergency letter to Georgia’s Executive branch can be read on ABC’s Chattanooga affiliate website, News Channel 9.
Rep. Moore is an outgoing Representative whose term will conclude on January 20, 2021. Representative-elect Mike Cameron will fill his position. Moore ran for State Senate in Northwest Georgia in the June primary, but was narrowly defeated by Senator Jeff Mullis.
This June 2020 primary was the first statewide Georgia election to occur on the Dominion Voting Systems. At the direction of Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary Brad Raffenspurger in 2019, Walker and Catoosa Counties were among the first counties in Georgia to install the Dominion Voting Systems.
For media or citizen inquiry, you can contact Rep. Moore at 423-508-2195