Georgia Launches ‘Secure the Vote’

The people of Georgia are joining a national movement to make voting more secure and the Secretary of State’s Office says the new paper ballot system will “allow Georgians to verify and audit elections to ensure even the closest of races are tabulated accurately and fairly.

Secure the Vote is an inclusive, broad-based education initiative that will build on a growing effort to show people in all walks of life, in every corner of the state, what to expect when they begin voting in 2020.

“We are fundamentally changing and improving how elections are conducted in Georgia,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “We look forward to educating voters on the advantages and accessibility of the new system.”

“Democracy works best when we come together to better understand how elections are conducted, and how we are protecting voters’ rights at the county and state levels,” said Chris Harvey, Elections Director for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. “Increasing voter education of how the system works can only help grow a healthy democracy.”

For the first time in nearly two decades Georgians will vote using a paper ballot.

“We want to make sure every eligible vote cast is counted, that our elections are secure from bad actors, and misinformation is combated,“ said Raffensperger. “Whether it be from foreign adversaries or domestic activists, misinformation campaigns undermine confidence and drive down turnout. The new system allows us to combat these actors by conducting robust audits to help ensure the accuracy of the election. From March 2020 and beyond, voters will know that the right outcomes are reached.”

The effort includes education coordinators, online tools, text messaging, video training, social media, and traditional advertising.

“We are working with groups on both sides of the aisle,” said Jordan Fuchs, Deputy Secretary of State. “We are excited to partner with nationally recognized elections and cybersecurity experts, and will announce those partnerships shortly. The changes we are making impact everyone, from all walks of life, and we look forward to educating voters of the enhancements they will see in the 2020 elections.”

To learn more about Georgia’s Secure the Vote program please visit SecureVoteGa.com

This is a press release from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.