Carter Center hosts election integrity, accessibility panel

A panel on how to better secure a safe, secure, accessible, and transparent election in Georgia took place at the Carter Center on Monday morning. The panel took place a day before the 100th birthday of former United States President Jimmy Carter, the country’s oldest living former president, and included several voting advocacy groups.

The “Safe, Secure, Accessible, and Transparent Elections in GA.: An Expert View” panel that included representatives from four organizations: The Democracy Defense Project, The Georgia Democracy Resilience Network, the Georgia Democracy Task Force, and the Carter Center.

“I think given the state of information in Georgia now, which is the same thing we are seeing in many places around the country, it’s important for people to hear from leaders from across the political spectrum about issues openly, honestly, and frankly,” said Dr. David Carroll, Ph.D., the director of the Democracy Program at the Carter Center. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of disinformation, these are senior political folks who have a lot of experience and a lot of history.”

Carroll moderated the panel that included former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the first female mayor in Atlanta’s history, was there to represent The Democracy Defense Project, a bipartisan group of former elected officials. Former Georgia Governors Roy Barnes and Nathan Deal are a part of this organization as well, but were not in attendance.

“We have come together to add our voices to the conversation about Georgia,” Franklin said. She added that the group is more focused on what is going on in the state, instead of nationally.

Former Georgia Senator and current Carter Center Board of Trustee Chair Jason Carter was also on stage alongside Ryan Germany, the Co-Chair of the Georgia Democracy Task Force,   and former Georgia Attorney General Sam Arnold, who sat in for Deal.

The Georgia State Election Board was one of the first topics of discussion. A question of what certification means to voters and how to better educate voters about what is going on.

Germany said, “We are already in the election from an election administration standpoint. They are very much in it right now.”

On certification and the necessity of the process, Germany added, “It’s been something that has always happened.

Carter pointed out that the late ruling-making changes are a concern to groups like the ones represented during the panel. “It just undermines the public confidence of what’s going on,” he said.

Franklin, someone who has had to campaign for elected office while breaking a proverbial glass ceiling, said the biggest problem taking place in Georgia elections right now is whether or not the Board of Elections can be trusted.

“The Election Board’s actions, whether they are legal or not, gives the impression that they are unfair,” Franklin said. “Some people will believe their vote doesn’t count.”

According to Carter and Germany, the Carter Center and the Georgia Democracy Task Force plan to work as election monitors in Fulton County. The organizations will work as an outside observer with “no stake in the election,” said Carter. “In every single election there is going to be imperfect, but imperfect doesn’t mean inaccurate.”

“We have put together a team that has a lot of Georgia election experience, and there are so many people now that want to observe the election,” Germany said. “They really want to see who is going to win this election.”

Franklin’s closing remarks focused on making sure the public is fully informed about the election process going forward.

“The key to this is getting the word out,” said Franklin, who said she sees an upswing in election distrust in Georgia and around the country. “I’m optimistic, but I’m also pragmatic. I don’t think this is going away. It’s not just about this election.”

Franklin said gaining and maintaining public trust is at the top of her list of accomplishments during her two terms as Atlanta Mayor. Carter agreed that his grandfather, former United States President Jimmy Carter, would list the same things as what he is proud of during his single term in the White House.

During the public question portion of the panel, the electoral college, what legal avenues are available for voters, the Gen Z voters of Georgia, what the organizations are doing to get the word out, and what could happen if the Election Board refuses to certify the results of the upcoming election.

Franklin called any talk about the need for the electoral college a “distraction” during this election. Carter said the courts will have to be in play if there is a “rogue election board.” Arnold suggested that social media can be a “gift and a curse” as a way to get the word out about voting to friends and family this election season.

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