ATLANTA – State Representatives Carter Barrett (R-Cumming), Jordan Ridley (R-Woodstock) and Mitchell Horner (R-Ringgold) recently co-sponsored House Bill 1112, which would remove Georgia’s Secretary of State from the State Elections Board.
“I am proud to support House Bill 1112,” said Rep. Barrett. “This measure would boost Georgians’ trust in their electoral process by providing a greater chance for independent oversight, ensuring elections are conducted accurately and free from any mistakes or concerns. I look forward to working alongside my legislative colleagues to bring more peace of mind to Georgia voters when heading to the polls.”
“This significant step forward will reinforce the faith of Georgians in their democratic process by instituting a comprehensive framework for self-governing oversight,” said Rep. Ridley. “By doing so, we can instill increased trust in the integrity and accuracy of our elections, guaranteeing they are conducted without any room for error or doubt.”
“With this legislation, we are aiming to strengthen the authority of the State Election Board, safeguarding clarity concerning its oversight responsibilities and avoiding any ambiguity about where such authority lies,” said Rep. Horner. “Our goal is to promote transparency and accountability in the electoral process, reinforcing public trust in the veracity of our democratic institutions, and I am proud to support this much-needed piece of legislation.”
HB 1112 would remove Georgia’s Secretary of State from the State Election Board and require that the board be administratively attached to the State Accounting Office. In addition, HB 1112 would amend the current duties of the State Election Board to grant the board authority to hire qualified investigators to investigate the election division of the Secretary of State’s office. Further, under HB 1112, the State Election Board would be given the power to issue letters of instruction or letters of reprimand after the completion of an investigation. Such letters of instruction would be enforced when a technical violation occurs due to excusable neglect that occurs without bad faith, and letters of reprimand would be implemented when a technical violation occurs due to inexcusable neglect or gross neglect.
The full text of HB 1112 may be found here.
Representative Carter Barrett represents the citizens of District 24, which includes portions of Forsyth County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Dual Enrollment and Tuition Equalization Grants and as Secretary of the Code Revision and Higher Education committees. He also serves on the Banks & Banking Committee.
Representative Jordan Ridley represents the citizens of District 22, which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as the Secretary of the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee. He also serves on the Code Revision and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees.
Representative Mitchell Horner represents the citizens of District 3, which includes portions of Catoosa County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as the Secretary for the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee. He also serves on the Intragovernmental Coordination and Small Business Development committees.
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