Former President Donald Trump praised three members of the Georgia State Election Board for fighting for honesty, transparency, and victory at a rally in Atlanta. The three board members, Dr. Janice Johnston, Rick Jaffares, and Janelle King, have all questioned the results of the 2020 election. They recently came under fire for holding a meeting without the other two members to propose new election rules allowing more partisan poll watchers.
Trump’s support for the board members has raised concerns about potential political interference in the 2024 election. The Georgia State Election Board, now majority Republican, gained power following a law passed after the 2020 election that removed the Secretary of State as chair and gave the legislature more control over the board.
The board members hastily adopted new rules in July, including increasing the number of partisan poll watchers and requiring daily ballot counts to be posted online. These rules were criticized for potentially causing intimidation of election workers and undermining voter confidence. The meeting where the rules were adopted was deemed unlawful by American Oversight due to violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act.
The Georgia Republican Party has sought to intervene in the lawsuit against the board members, indicating a high level of interest in the outcome. Trump’s praise of the board members at the rally has caused concern among Democrats about potential interference in future elections. Despite this, board member Janelle King stated that she made decisions based on facts and evidence, emphasizing the importance of ensuring voter confidence in election results.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com