Georgia Officials Ask Court to Lift Block on Wiping or Resetting Voting Machines

Georgia officials on Thursday asked a judge to lift an order that is blocking officials from altering information in voting machines in three counties, arguing the machines are needed to prepare for the upcoming Senate runoff elections.

Evidence demonstrates Cobb and Gwinnett counties “need to use” ballot marking devices from Dominion Voting Systems, Carey Miller, a state attorney, wrote in a court filing.

The filing included a declaration from Kristi Royston, the elections supervisor for Gwinnett County’s Board of Voter Registrations and Elections.

She said the restraining order preventing her county and others from wiping or resetting the voter machines “has grave and serious consequences.”

“It is preventing the Gwinnett County Board of Voter Registrations and Elections from beginning its required preparation for the [mail-in ballot] voting for the January 5 runoff elections for two United States Senate seats,” she added.

Testing for the ballot marking devices and other voting equipment was scheduled to start on Dec. 3. That testing is on hold because of the restraining order. If the order isn’t changed or struck down, it “will inevitably lead to widespread disruption” to mail-in and Election Day voting, according to Royston.

A judge on Nov. 29 ordered three counties in Georgia not to wipe or reset voting machines. Plaintiffs in the case, alleging fraud, are seeking to have outside experts examine the machines.

Janine Eveler, director of the Cobb County Elections Department, said the agency is already executing its plan for the upcomin... (Read more)

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