ATLANTA — A growing number of local advocacy groups are calling out members of the state’s election board over a last-minute meeting held last Friday.
Three members of the State Elections Board held a meeting. Rick Jeffares, and Janelle King were in the hearing room, while Dr. Janice Johnston joined remotely. The board’s executive director, former GOP lawmaker Mike Coan was also present.
Rachel Lastinger, a director of the American Civil Liberties Union Voter Access Project, spends a significant portion of time attending state election board meetings. Lastinger said that the most recent meeting was abruptly announced with little notice.
“We found out Thursday evening that this meeting had been planned for Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. Notice was only sent to other members of the State Election Board and individuals who had petitions for rule amendments," Lastinger stated.
At the meeting, board member Janelle King told 11Alive the meeting was meant to help close out business from a previous session held on July 9.
“We’re doing this because we were notified that if we had not had this meeting today, then all the work that was done on July 9 would have died by Monday," she said.
That work included voting on two new election rules. If approved, one would increase the number of poll watchers allowed at a precinct and expand the amount of access they would have while they are present. The other would require the number of people who voted on a particular day at a certain location to be posted on the local election board's website.
Officially closing out the meeting means the rules discussed will be able to enter the public comment period once they're posted on the Secretary of State's website. That period lasts 30 days; after public comment, the State Election Board can officially vote to make the proposal a rule.
King told reporters the public was informed, though there was no notice on the Secretary of State's website. However, a post was made to King's social media just after 9 a.m. on Friday, roughly six hours before the meeting.
Sarah Tindall Ghazal, the only Democratic member of the board, disagreed with the meeting's legitimacy. She told reporters in advance of the meeting, “These violations make today’s meeting and any actions taken or motions passed illegitimate.”
Georgia's Open Meetings Act requires state boards to publish notice of non-emergency meetings at least seven days in advance. If the meeting is considered "emergent" - or a "special circumstance" -- it can be held with less than 24 hours' notice.
11Alive received an email on letterhead from the Office of the State Attorney General warning the election board members about potential issues if the meeting proceeded. 11Alive contacted the Attorney General’s Office on Monday, but a spokesperson stated they were unable to comment due to their office representing the State Board of Electors.