Last month, Republican members of the Georgia State Elections Board held a meeting that flagrantly disregarded the principles of transparency and accountability that are foundational to our democratic process. They advanced changes to election rules. But they did not stream the meeting or provide notice to the public in advance, a blatant violation of the Open Meetings Act, which ensures that governmental actions are conducted in the open and that the public has an opportunity to participate in the democratic process.
The absence of the two other board members — presumably because of the “strategic” timing of the meeting late on a summer Friday afternoon — raises serious concerns about hyper-partisanship overriding fair and balanced decision-making. In these highly polarized times, it is essential that all members of the elections board operate with the utmost integrity and with regard for all eligible voters regardless of party affiliation. The timing and exclusivity of this meeting starkly contrast with these ideals. Unsurprisingly, a lawsuit has followed.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
This kind of secretive conduct fosters suspicion and diminishes public confidence in the integrity of our elections system. Georgians deserve a State Elections Board that operates transparently, fairly and with complete integrity.
These actions warrant loud, public rebuke. But the silence from our elected Republican leaders is deafening.
Unfortunately, this is only one of many recent examples of Georgia Republicans betraying the principles of our party and the values of our democratic republic:
- Some elected officials continue to spout baseless claims and conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud. The truth is that our state is a recognized national leader in election integrity. According to the conservative Heritage Foundation’s 2024 state rankings, Georgia ranks second in election integrity, tied with Florida.
- A new law permits frivolous challenges of voters on a massive scale, which will result in unnecessary costs and burden for county election offices and empowers those with partisan motives to weaponize challenges, risking disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
- Republicans in the Legislature removed the secretary of state from the State Elections Board, the culmination of repeated attempts. They have also sought to undermine his authority as a statewide elected official and his investigative authority by replacing agency investigators with those hired by the board.
- Based on misinformation, they want to withdraw our state from the Electronic Registration Information Center, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of state election officials that offers the most effective tool available to help election officials maintain accurate voter rolls and detect possible illegal voting.
I am a lifelong Georgia Republican, twice elected to proudly serve my community as Habersham County commissioner. This hijacking of my party and its principles is deeply troubling to me. It’s why I founded Georgia First, a nonprofit committed to fighting for our state’s middle class and defending the shared foundational values of our republic. And it’s why I am speaking up to urge other Georgians, especially Republicans, to stand up for democracy.
We all have an obligation to be active and engaged citizens if we want our democracy to truly serve the people. This is particularly critical when the political climate is dominated by extreme polarization and mis- and disinformation are everywhere. Hyper-partisanship is out of touch with most voters, who crave reasonable, measured leadership, and it is damaging to the productive dialogue, leadership and compromise needed to make progress on the many fiscal and social challenges facing our state.
There is an old consumer adage: Buyers beware. Well, I urge Georgia voters to be aware.
Educate yourself on the issues and the candidates by visiting candidate websites, forums and debates to learn more about their positions and values. Learn to recognize and discount mis- and disinformation by carefully considering the source, timeliness and rationale for the information shared. Vote for candidates who do not engage in hyperpartisan rhetoric or view politics as a zero-sum game. Support candidates who can tell you what they will actually do in office, not just call their opponent names. And engage by attending board meetings, which are open to the public in person and online.
The recent, illegal meeting of the State Elections Board should be a wake-up call for Georgians. Now is the time for all of us to stand up and speak out for our democracy.
Natalie Crawford is a Republican, former two-term Habersham County Commissioner and executive director of the nonprofit Georgia First.
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