ATLANTA — The retired federal decide main Georgia’s State Election Board is resigning efficient Friday from the panel, which sought beneath his tenure to debunk unfounded claims of election fraud stemming from the 2020 presidential vote.
Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement Monday that William “Bill” Duffey Jr. could be stepping down, though his resignation letter was dated July 18.
Duffey wrote that he needed to step down now that the board has transitioned to a freestanding company beneath Georgia’s 2021 election regulation. It beforehand was chaired by the secretary of state.
“Now that a new board structure is in place, it is important to name the next chair in sufficient time for that person to continue to prepare for the 2024 election cycle,” Duffey wrote.
The board makes guidelines for state elections and recommends what ought to be accomplished about individuals who break guidelines and legal guidelines.
Duffey had solely been appointed in June 2022, after a yearlong delay following the passage of the regulation.
Under Duffey, the board sought to reassure those that the state’s elections remained safe following a breach of voting gear in south Georgia’s Coffee County. The board additionally sought to debunk unfounded claims of fraud within the 2020 election, together with a declare that ballot staff found cast ballots printed on totally different paper and claims that election staff improperly counted “suitcases” stuffed with ballots.
The board declined to take over elections in Fulton County after a overview discovered administration had improved regardless of issues. The board voted in July to sue Texas-based True the Vote, asking a decide to power the group to reveal info that the group claims proves folks illegally collected and deposited ballots in drop bins in 2020 and 2021.
Board conferences have typically been contentious, with those that declare Georgia’s 2020 presidential election was stolen packing conferences to lambaste the board. In latest months, a lot of these folks have turned their energies to calling for state elections to be carried out on paper ballots and counted by hand.
Either Kemp or lawmakers will title a brand new chair for the board. The regulation lets Kemp title the chief when the General Assembly isn’t in session, so long as that alternative is confirmed by lawmakers the following time they meet. If Kemp doesn’t act by January, the House may nominate and the Senate affirm a brand new chair.
No matter who’s chosen, they’re presupposed to abstain from working for workplace, giving marketing campaign contributions, or collaborating in social gathering politics. The chair will need to have not been a candidate for partisan workplace, given marketing campaign contributions to a candidate for partisan workplace, or participated in partisan group for 2 years earlier than being appointed.
The board has 4 different members, one elected by the state House, one by the state Senate, and one named by every of the Democratic and Republican events. In follow, that makes the breakdown three Republicans, one Democrat and the nonpartisan chair.
Duffey was nominated as a federal decide in Georgia’s northern district by Republican President George W. Bush in 2004 and served till stepping down from lively service in 2018. Before that, Duffey was chosen by Bush as U.S. legal professional for a similar district. Duffey was additionally Bush’s Georgia marketing campaign finance chairman.
From 1994 to 1995, Duffey was a deputy to Kenneth Starr investigating Bill and Hillary Clinton, overseeing the Arkansas a part of the Whitewater investigation. Before and after that, he was a associate with Atlanta-based King & Spalding, the place he labored on issues together with inside company investigations.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com