ATLANTA – State Representative Floyd Griffin (D-Milledgeville) is calling for a committee hearing on House Bill 40, legislation he introduced during the 2025 legislative session, when the General Assembly reconvenes for the 2026 legislative session. Rep. Griffin is calling for a hearing on his legislation following a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) article on Georgia’s State Election Board. He issued the following statement:
“Georgia’s voters deserve accountability, competency and confidence in those who oversee their elections. These latest AJC revelations make one thing clear: the State Election Board is not functioning as intended. HB 40 would restore leadership, responsibility and constitutional clarity, and it must receive a committee hearing when we return to the Gold Dome in January.
“The courts have already struck down the board’s rulemaking for exceeding its authority. Investigations have stalled. And now the AJC is confirming, again, that internal conflict is consuming this board. The evidence is overwhelming: we need strong, stable leadership, and the Georgia Constitution already tells us where that leadership belongs. This legislative reform is necessary because the Secretary of State is directly accountable to all Georgia voters and is the only office tasked with voter registration, ballot administration, certification and compliance.
“Some national political figures are now calling for sweeping executive orders to eliminate mail-in voting nationwide. Constitutional scholars agree these proposals overreach federal authority, which make it even more important that Georgia’s election leadership be clear, constitutional and accountable.
“The State Election Board is drifting further into conflict and instability. The AJC reported on November 18, 2025, that Secretary of State investigators will no longer attend State Election Board meetings to present cases. They also reported on the backlog of unresolved election cases. The AJC’s reporting confirms what many election officials across Georgia have privately warned. It is time for the state legislature to step up, and the longer we wait, the deeper this problem becomes. Leaders should solve problems, not create them. HB 40 must be on the agenda immediately in 2026.”
House Bill 40 would require Georgia’s Secretary of State to serve as the State Election Board’s chairperson. Currently, the chair is elected by the General Assembly through a joint resolution passed by majority vote in both the House and Senate and then certified by the governor.
Representative Floyd Griffin represents the citizens of District 149, which includes portions of Baldwin, Bibb and Jones counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Special Rules and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.
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