LOEFFLER CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION TO HOLD GEORGIA’S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL ACCOUNTABLE, REBUILD FAITH IN ELECTIONS

April 28, 2021

Today, Kelly Loeffler sent a letter to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr asking him to open an investigation into whether Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger used his constitutional office overseeing elections in Georgia to further his own political self-interests in violation of the Georgia Constitution or statutes. Secretary Raffensperger made unprecedented changes to the state's elections in 2020 amid the pandemic, including the mass mailing of unsolicited absentee ballot requests, entering into a consent decree without the legislature's awareness, accepting millions in outside money, and failing to resolve hundreds of open investigations from the primary and general elections. Loeffler's letter seeks accountability and transparency from the state's top elections official to help restore confidence in our elections.

"Georgians deserve to have confidence that their vote counts – but for too many in our state, that still is not the case," said Kelly Loeffler, Chairwoman of Greater Georgia. "The passage of the Election Integrity Act is an important step toward restoring that confidence, though numerous questions remain unanswered from the Secretary of State's role in overseeing the 2020 elections. This request is not about the outcome of an election, but about the loss of confidence in our elections and the importance of holding elected officials accountable for upholding the law and carrying out their constitutional duties. Greater Georgia will continue to fight for more transparency, accountability, and integrity in our elections to ensure voters are heard."

To read the full letter, see below or click HERE.

April 28, 2021

The Honorable Chris Carr

Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

40 Capitol Square, SW

Atlanta, GA 30334

Dear Attorney General Carr:

I write to request an investigation into whether actions taken by Brad Raffensperger (hereinafter “Secretary Raffensperger”), in his capacity as Secretary of State of Georgia, put his political self-interest ahead of the people of Georgia in conducting elections, and whether these actions constitute a conflict of interest in violation of the Georgia Constitution and/or statutes.

Since his term began in January 2019, Secretary Raffensperger has made unprecedented changes to elections in his constitutional duty to conduct elections, including those actions outlined below, which have reduced trust and transparency. Secretary Raffensperger politicized and minimized voters’ legitimate concerns about changes to Georgia’s elections which were related to the pandemic and legal settlements, failed to complete investigations and provide timely information, and engaged in political matters during an election.

This request is not about the outcome of an election, but about the loss of confidence in our elections and the importance of holding elected officials accountable for upholding the law and carrying out their constitutional duties. If voters don’t trust the electoral process and their elected officials, we risk sustained damage to voter participation in our state. We saw the impact of reduced faith in elections in the Senate runoffs, when over 339,000 Republican voters who voted in November did not vote in January. Voting rights are not a partisan issue, and the loss of electoral confidence disenfranchises voters of any political affiliation. Following are examples of potential conflicts of interest that furthered Secretary Raffensperger’s own self-interests:

1) Georgia’s primary election on June 9, 2020 was administered so poorly the Georgia House Governmental Affairs Committee was tasked with investigating the election. The investigation identified the following: (i) multiple issues related to absentee ballots; (ii) inadequate training for the new voting machines; and (iii) procedural issues regarding COVID-19. Secretary Raffensperger glossed over these issues and failed to take sufficient corrective or legal actions prior to either the general election or run-off election.[1]

2) Secretary Raffensperger announced on September 8, 2020 approximately 1,000 individuals faced investigation for double voting in the primary election by casting both an absentee ballot and voting in person. Eight months and two elections later, Secretary Raffensperger has not fully resolved the double voting issues.[2]

3) Secretary Raffensperger entered into a Compromise Settlement Agreement and Release (“Consent Decree”) on March 6, 2020 that materially altered the signature verification process for absentee ballot review—without informing the Georgia General Assembly or the general public—just weeks prior to mailing out mass, unsolicited absentee ballot requests statewide. He later claimed in media interviews the settlement did not materially change the absentee ballot signature review process, yet the administrative process for rejecting ballots was increased.

4) According to a March 26, 2021 report, Secretary Raffensperger’s office accepted unregulated, outside funds totaling $5.59 million from the Center for Election Innovation & Research (“CEIR”), an organization linked to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. According to CEIR, Secretary Raffensperger’s office used the funds in both the general and runoff elections to conduct messaging, including to “counteract disinformation” by issuing “public service” announcements.[3] Separately, CEIR also gave millions of dollars in grants to certain Georgia counties.

5) In his role as Chair of the State Board of Elections, Secretary Raffensperger made sweeping, poorly communicated, and inconsistently applied changes to critical elections procedures including, but not limited to: (i) permitting unsecure drop boxes whose number varied across the state, with some counties having dozens and others having none, and (ii) mass unsolicited absentee ballot request mailings, which unlocked the potential for fraud.[4]

6) Secretary Raffensperger’s office orchestrated the recording of a call with the President of the United States and subsequently released the recording to the Washington Post just days before the January runoff, interfering with an election that was already underway by reducing faith in the process and eroding trust in our election officials.

7) Six months after the general election, the status of hundreds of primary and general elections investigations allegedly opened by the Secretary of State’s office remains unknown. Additionally, no investigations relating the runoff elections have been announced by his office.

Georgians deserve answers regarding these issues and to understand the impact these and other matters may have on future elections. Failure to acknowledge these issues and irregularities will lead to a continued loss of trust in our elections.

For that trust to be restored, there must be accountability from Secretary Raffensperger in his role managing our elections, and whether he has served his own self-interest by attempting to protect his own political career. Accordingly, we respectfully request an investigation into whether Secretary Raffensperger’s actions were lawful and consistent with his fiduciary and statutory obligations to Georgia’s citizenry as a statewide elected official under the Georgia Constitution and law.

Respectfully,

Kelly Loeffler

——————————————

[1] See Primary Elections Investigation, House of Representatives Government Affairs Committee, available at: https://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/CommitteeDocuments/2020/GovernmentalAffairs/Elections_Investigation_Report.pdf (last accessed April 22, 2021).

[2] 1,000 people double-voted in Georgia primary, says secretary of state, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (September 8, 2020), available at: https://www.ajc.com/politics/1000-people-double-voted-in-georgia-primary-and-may-face-charges/RR7ZPMO2SBBVLOSCUUAV7S3JEQ/.

[3] See The Center for Election Innovation & Research 2020 Voter Education Grant Program, March 26, 2021, available at: https://electioninnovation.org/download/16514/ (last accessed April 22, 2021).

[4] See SEB Rule 183-1-14-0.80.14, available at https://sos.ga.gov/admin/files/Table%20of%20Contents%20for%20SEB%20Rule%20183-1-14-0.8-.14.pdf.

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Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com

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OPEN LETTER TO LEGISLATURE: REMOVE QR CODES ON BALLOTS IN 2026

January 13, 2026

January 13, 2026 An Open Letter To the Georgia State Senate and House of Representatives: Georgia stands at a crossroads. Under state law, and thanks to the leadership of both chambers, QR codes must be removed from our ballots by July 1, 2026. The 2026 legislative session is the last realistic opportunity to address this issue clearly and decisively. This session must produce a clear, funded, and fully operational solution with enforceable milestones by the November 2026 general elections, or Georgia risks failing both ballot security and voter confidence on an issue that now enjoys growing bipartisan concern. QR Codes: Not Just a Technicality Voting systems that rely on ballot-marking devices (BMDs) and automatically generate machine-readable QR or barcodes raise a fundamental transparency concern. Under current statewide practice, tabulation relies on machine-readable codes that voters cannot independently verify, even though human-readable text is printed for review. Critics argue that this two-layer design undermines the principle of a fully voter-verifiable ballot. Security researchers and computer scientists have documented plausible attack vectors in such systems — through malicious software, elevated access modes on touchscreen machines, or discrepancies between what is printed and what is ultimately scanned — and their reports and legal testimony underscore the importance of systems voters can directly verify. For that reason, Georgia must transition to fully human-verifiable ballots, supported by strong audits and a robust paper trail, while preserving accessible voting options for voters who need assistance. An Unfunded Mandate Is Not a Plan In the 2025 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 189 established a mandate to eliminate QR-code ballots by July 1, 2026. However, no funding was identified to carry out that mandate, creating the uncertainty Georgia now faces. As a result, voters across Georgia head toward the 2026 midterms with the same QR-code ballots and voting technology that has contributed to public distrust and recurring controversy. The General Assembly has the opportunity and the responsibility to address this in totality during the 2026 session, even if that requires giving election officials additional time to prepare for a new system to be in place by the general elections. No Half-Measures or Unfunded Mandates At Greater Georgia, we will advocate this session for three non-negotiables: 1. A Realistic Timeline and Full Funding Removing QR codes statewide will require financing new ballot-printing, tabulation equipment, testing, training, and implementation. While cost estimates vary, any plan passed in 2026 that lacks full funding, a procurement pathway, and a firm installation timeline invites confusion, risk, and failure. 2. Human-Readable Ballots and Transparency Ballots must be marked or printed in a way voters can read and verify before casting—and counted based on what voters can verify. Systems that rely on barcodes for tabulation place undue trust in machine interpretation and do not resolve the underlying transparency concern. 3. Proper Time for Election Officials to Prepare and Implement Election officials must be given sufficient time and resources to implement a new system competently, though that necessity cannot become a pretext for indefinite delay. Well-run elections are the foundation of trusted election processes. Georgia Must Choose: Action or Inaction As citizens, watchdogs, and advocates for secure and transparent elections, we cannot accept vague promises or unfunded mandates. The law requires the removal of QR codes. Georgia’s voters deserve clarity, accountability, and certainty. If the deadline must move, it should do so only with full funding, a procurement plan, and enforceable milestones before the midterm elections in 2026. We are grateful for the General Assembly’s responsiveness and leadership on this issue and look forward to collaborating to find sensible solutions that will make Georgia’s elections stronger in 2026 and beyond. No shortcuts. No unfunded mandates. Get it done, and get it done right, in the 2026 legislative session.

GGA CONCLUDES STATEWIDE TOUR WITH FINAL STOP

December 30, 2025

Atlanta, GA — Greater Georgia concluded its Statewide Education Tour with a final stop hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber , convening business leaders, elected officials, and community stakeholders for a forward-looking discussion on Georgia’s priorities heading into the 2026 legislative session. Jon Burns , Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, offered a preview of key issues expected to shape the upcoming session. The discussion focused on policies central to Georgia’s long-term success, including property tax reform, access to mental health services, improving literacy outcomes, and ensuring students are prepared to enter the workforce. The Statewide Education Tour brought substantive policy conversations directly to communities across Georgia, reinforcing Greater Georgia’s commitment to informed dialogue and broad civic engagement. More than 250 business owners, community leaders, and local officials participated in tour stops across seven Georgia counties. Looking ahead to 2026, Greater Georgia will focus on training local leaders and activists and equipping them with the tools needed to host engaging, policy-oriented conversations in their own communities to strengthen civic leadership and engagement across the state. ###

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Greater Georgia Applauds Long Overdue Voter Roll Cleanup to Safeguard Election Integrity

July 15, 2025

ATLANTA, GA— Greater Georgia today released a statement in support of Georgia’s ongoing voter roll cleanup, calling the move a necessary and long overdue step to protect election integrity and restore confidence in the state’s electoral process. The Secretary of State’s office last week began the process of removing more than 500,000 outdated voter registrations, including those who have moved, passed away, or not voted in nearly a decade, as part of one of the largest list maintenance efforts in Georgia history. “This voter roll cleanup is not only common sense, it’s long overdue after fear-mongering lawsuits from leftist groups halted the process,” said Terry Fye of Greater Georgia. “Election officials, and especially the Secretary of State’s office, are legally required to keep our rolls accurate and failing to do so undermines trust in our elections and opens the door to potential fraud.” Georgia law requires regular voter roll maintenance to ensure only eligible voters remain on the rolls. The current process includes multiple attempts to contact inactive voters before any cancellation is finalized, offering ample time to update their information and maintain active status. Since its founding, Greater Georgia has worked to strengthen trust in elections by advocating for secure, transparent, and accountable voting practices. The organization has registered more than 65,000 new voters, expanded civic engagement in every corner of the state, and continues to push for meaningful reforms that protect the vote of every legal Georgian. ### Greater Georgia, founded by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is working to register, engage, educate, and mobilize voters in communities across the Peach State. Our year-round work is focused on growing our movement by registering voters who may not be captured by Georgia’s “Motor Voter” program, mobilizing diverse and underrepresented communities, promoting issue advocacy, and fighting to restore trust and integrity in our elections.