Media Center

More than 4 million Georgians voted in Tuesday’s election. Those voters deserve to have their voices heard and their ballots counted.

Polling place hours have been extended in polling locations in six counties across Georgia. Media outlets and reporters are strongly encouraged to immediately share the following information in their news stories, broadcasts, and social media channels.

In an amicus brief filed in the long-running Curling v. Raffensperger lawsuit, Common Cause asked United States District Judge Amy Totenberg to require paper ballots equal to 40% of registered voters at each polling site. That number was based on projections of ballot usage during peak voting times, so voters would be able to vote at their polling place even in cases of voting system failures lasting three hours. In a decision issued tonight, Judge Totenberg declined to require a specific number of paper ballots.

Common Cause Georgia, represented by the Brennan Center for Justice, today took legal action to ensure voters would not be denied the right to vote in the November election, even if voting machines fail.  

Federal District Court Justice Amy Totenberg today issued a ruling requiring the Georgia Secretary of State and local elections officials to ensure that polling places use paper backups of electronic poll books in the event of electronic pollbook failure. "Judge Totenberg’s order is a victory for voters and for the integrity of our elections. Common Cause Georgia has been working to improve our elections infrastructure for years...."

The people of Georgia deserve some answers. Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission  (Ethics Commission) Chair Jake Evans said the commission will investigate and staff or board members who have “credible allegations of wrongdoing against them” -- but has not committed yet to investigating Commissioner Rick Thompson’s connections to Blue Sky Medical Labs, LLC, or Thompson’s and his business partner’s connection to a fake donor sting in North Carolina.