Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) announced Monday that his office will launch an investigation into voting groups accused of encouraging non-Georgia residents to register to vote in the state’s twin Senate runoff elections.
“We have opened an investigation into a group called America Votes, who is sending absentee ballot applications to people at addresses where they have not lived since 1994,” Raffensperger stated during a press conference.
“Voting in Georgia when you are not a resident of Georgia is a felony, and encouraging college kids to commit felonies with no regard for what [it] might mean for them is despicable,” he added. “These third-party groups have a responsibility to not encourage illegal voting. If they do so, they will be held responsible.”
The organizations set for state scrutiny include: America Votes, Operation New Voter Registration Georgia, The New Georgia Project, and Vote Forward.
America Votes claimed in a statement that it has not done anything illegal.
“We’re pleased that so many Georgians have already applied to vote by mail this election and will continue our work to make sure every voice is heard in January,” the group told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Georgia voting system manager Gabriel Sterling has said 940,000 Georgians have requested absentee ballots for the Jan. 5 Senate races with Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue against Democrat opponents Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
Editor’s Note: The photo accompanying this article is not of any individual associated with America Votes, Operation New Voter Registration Georgia, The New Georgia Project, or Vote Forward.. The image is illustrative rather than literal.