Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is moving forward with the state’s May 19 election schedule because that’s the law.
Fannin County Election Supervisor Mary Ann Conner says local voters are already taking advantage of Raffensperger’s efforts.
In a telephone interview with The News Observer, April 2, Raffensperger said, “Right now, our hands are tied. We have to move forward. It’s the law.”
Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston has called for May 19 voting to be postponed. Similar urgings have come from Georgia’s Republican Congressional delegation.
“We want to be a positive team player,” Raffensperger said. If the General Assembly changes the law setting the election date, his office will adjust to those instructions.
But Raffensperger stessed, “I execute elections, I don’t create them.”
The Secretary of State’s office has mailed absentee ballot applications to the state’s registered voters.
That mailing went out Monday, March 30, with instructions to return the applications to the voter’s local election office.
Friday morning, Conner said the Fannin County elections board had already received about 50 of those applications requesting ballots.
Absentee voting gives voters the option to cast their ballot, “From the safety and security of your home,” Raffesnberger said. Or voters will still have the opportunity to vote in person.
The Secretary of State’s office is moving forward “one day at a time,” with the election, Raffensperger said.
The only thing that will not move is the November 3, 2020, presidential election. That is set by the U.S. Constitution, he said.
And, Georgia’s election process must be completed in time to make that happen.
Raffensberger said he understands the health and safety concerns of in-person voters and poll workers in the face of the COVID-19 situation, and those issues will be addressed.