Readers write

Nothing wrong with Georgia’s voting system

There’s something that has been bothering me about all the controversy over how Georgians vote. People seem to think something nefarious is going on with how Dominion voting machines work, QR codes on printed ballots, counting machines not being accurate, and so on.

Does anyone actually look at their ballot after it is printed to ensure that it reflects their choices? Every time I’ve voted using the Dominion voting system, I review the printed ballot before placing it into the tabulator. QR codes are for the machine’s benefit; my selections are plainly printed on the ballot. If there is a problem, I can ask a poll worker for assistance before casting my ballot.

In the event of a recount, those selections will still be there. Ballots are required to be retained for at least two years. And the way they are printed would easily reveal any alterations to the ballot.

Too many people are seizing on uncertainty because they won’t accept that their candidate didn’t win an election. Instead, they want to go back to systems that have proved to generate issues because of erroneous marks or not filling in a bubble properly, and introducing uncertainty in interpretations by those doing the counting.

Bottom line is that they want everyone to think as they do and do as they say for their own personal benefit. That isn’t why we hold elections.

MARK HATRY, BRUNSWICK

Public protection from AI and data centers doubtful

Re: “In Georgia data center debate, the real issue is about who wields the power,” by AJC contributor Ben Burnett.

In response to questions about “who wields power” on data centers, consider findings of a recent Stanford University report, the 2026 AI Index. First, the U.S. has 10 times more data centers than any other nation on earth, and among 40-odd countries whose citizens were surveyed, Americans have the least confidence in their government’s ability to regulate artificial intelligence and data centers.

Although there are many other examples, data center decisions epitomize the escalating predicament of concentrated power that is generated by corporate oligarchy. Intertwined data center and AI issues are perhaps more concentrated in the imbalance of control because of the powerful role of technology in these ventures. A handful of Silicon Valley “tech bros” dominate an AI portfolio valued in the trillions of dollars. Last year, investment in these technologies in the U.S. alone was between $450 billion and $500 billion. Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Oracle and OpenAI are the major players.

Their relationships with the Trump administration raise disturbing doubts about the stability of democratic institutions and the protection of the public interest against the dystopian application of autonomous algorithms. These include both the violation of civil rights through citizen surveillance and the destructive use of lethal weapons in pursuit of corporate goals portrayed as national security.