8 Georgia counties are facing a probe over voter challenges

ATLANTA — Eight county election boards are facing investigation by the State Election Board over their handling of thousands of challenges aiming to cancel voter registrations.

The board launched the investigation after activists expressed concerns that county-level election officials had dismissed almost all their challenges since Georgia’s latest voter challenge law — Senate Bill 189 — went into effect July 1.

The investigation is aimed at Athens-Clarke, Bibb, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett and Jackson counties.

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis found that Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett, alone, have rejected more than 45,000 voter eligibility challenges since July.

Those 45,000 were on top of more than 350,000 other voter challenges filed since the 2020 election. State laws passed since then — driven by conservatives who questioned Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over then-President Donald Trump, despite numerous investigations, recounts and court proceedings confirming the results — allow any registered voter to file an unlimited number of challenges.

State Election Board member Janice Johnston said she thought challengers provided valid evidence for county election boards to consider.

“It appears that there is some sort of process going on with blanket refusals to even accept a challenge or investigate a challenge,” Johnston said.

The board — led by Johnston and two others who have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election — has attracted controversy for altering election policies so close to November’s presidential election.

Board members this past week also:

•Voted to make pictures of ballots public within three days of Election Day, allowing candidates and voters to check the count. The proposal, however, has yet to be finalized.

•Raised objections to Fulton County’s plan, reached in agreement with the secretary of state’s office, to hire a team of monitors to oversee its performance in conducting this year’s elections. Some members of the State Election Board wanted to appoint their own monitors, with Johnston proposing election skeptics be included as appointees.

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