Georgia's top election official just assembled a heavyweight squad to lock down voting security.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger dropped the news that his office is putting together a bipartisan Election Integrity Task Force, according to reports. And the roster reads like a political all-star game. Former governors, ex-senators, retired congresspeople, and seasoned election administrators are all getting seats at the table.
Raffensperger came out swinging with confidence, declaring that Georgia runs the most secure elections anywhere in America and vowing to maintain that status. He emphasized that this crew features leaders from contrasting political backgrounds who all share one goal, protecting every legitimate ballot and boosting voter confidence.
So who exactly made the cut for this power panel? Buckle in for this lineup. Former U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, ex-Governor Roy Barnes, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, and retired U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss all represent the Democracy Defense Foundation. Election law heavyweight Ben Ginsberg is on board. Former State Senator Don Balfour joins as a Senior Advisor connected to the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network. You also have Joseph Kirk, a county elections supervisor and recent past president of the state's voter registration officials group. Nancy Boren from Muscogee County elections, Terry Norris from the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, and Eric Johnson, former President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate and chairman of RightCount Georgia, round out the roster.
That is a seriously stacked bench.
The group has a meaty agenda ahead. They will dig into voter roll maintenance, best practices for running elections, transparency measures, combating misinformation, and holding counties accountable for their performance. Members bring expertise spanning public service, law enforcement, election law, and civic leadership.
Raffensperger pointed out something most voters probably never consider. Election security does not start when polls open. Months of preparation, equipment testing, staff training, and coordination happen behind the scenes long before anyone casts a ballot. This task force will make sure all that behind the scenes work stays organized and that regular Georgians actually understand the protections guarding their votes.
The Secretary also threw some shade at partisan politics while praising his new crew. He called the members well-respected community figures who sit on opposite sides of the political fence but are recognized as honest brokers. He specifically noted they are not people who just parrot talking points handed down from party leadership.
Looking ahead, the task force plans to participate in regional training sessions for election workers and host roundtable policy conversations alongside local officials. Those regional roundtables are expected to kick off sometime after Labor Day.
Whether you lean left, right, or somewhere in between, having a bipartisan group of political veterans keeping watch over Georgia's elections is the kind of move that might actually restore some faith in the process. Or at least that is what Raffensperger is banking on.
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