Congresswoman Lucy McBath, others call for removal of Election Board Members

ATLANTA - A coalition of Georgia lawmakers, clergy members, and civil rights leaders held a press conference Monday at the state Capitol, urging Gov. Brian Kemp to remove three members of the Georgia State Election Board. The group has accused board members Janelle King, Dr. Janice Johnston, and Rick Jeffares of violating the state's Code of Ethics and Open Meetings Act.

"The integrity of our electoral process is under serious threat," said state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes 

Parkes filed a formal complaint against the board members for violating the Code of Ethics and Georgia’s Open Meetings Act, after the trio held an illegal meeting and voted for a rule that allows local election officials to either delay or refuse to certify election results.  

"These individuals have taken deliberate actions that interfere with free and fair elections," said Sen. Parkes. 

The controversy stems from last-minute changes made by the majority Republican board to the procedures for certifying election results on election night. These changes have drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle. During the press conference, the coalition argued that the actions taken by the board members were deliberate attempts to interfere with the integrity of Georgia’s elections and to advance a partisan agenda.

PREVIOUS STORY: Georgia leaders ask Kemp to take action against Trump-backed State Election Board members

Congresswoman Lucy McBath, who represents Georgia's 6th congressional district, was among those calling on Gov. Kemp to take immediate action, stating that failure to protect the state’s democracy could lead to chaos. In response, a spokesperson for the Governor’s office confirmed that they had received the complaint and were seeking advice from the Attorney General regarding the Governor's authority to act on the matter.

"If we fail to protect our democracy, our sacred democracy, we will risk falling into chaos," said Rep. McBath.

The urgency of the situation is heightened by the fact that Georgia is just 70 days away from its next election.

Janelle King responds to calls for removal from Georgia Election Board

State Election Board member Janelle King responded to calls for her removal on Monday afternoon. 

"I came on the board with one thing in mind, to do the right thing. I don't have any partisan allegiance. I'm not  working on behalf of anybody," King told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.               

"They're claiming that we are doing all these egregious things, but there is no law statute code, anything that they are putting in front of us saying this is what you are violating," King said. "Before I agree to do anything I ask the right questions, I talk to attorneys. I make sure I'm walking within the steps of the law." 

A spokesman for the governor's office issued a statement saying: 

"Due to uncertainty regarding whether this office has authority to act in response to these complaints, we have sought the Attorney General’s advice." 

Georgia State Election Board 'reasonable inquiry" rule 

The Georgia State Election Board voted on the new rule requiring county election officials to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying election results to the state. This rule change, approved earlier this month, could significantly impact the upcoming November election. 

Georgia Board of Elections meeting on August 6, 2024.

The decision follows a rally held by former President Donald Trump in Atlanta, where he praised three of the board's Republican members, referring to them as "pit bulls that are fighting for victory." 

The board voted 3-1 in favor of initiating rule-making procedures, which mandate a thorough review by county officials before election results can be certified. 

Supporters of the measure argue that it is necessary to ensure the accuracy of election results. They emphasize that members of county election boards are required to swear to the accuracy of the results and should be confident in their verification process before certification. 

However, voting rights groups have expressed concerns that the new rule could be misused to challenge the results of the presidential race. They warn that it might lead to post-election chaos, potentially defying state law, which mandates that county officials "shall certify" results, and over a century of court precedent that limits the discretion of county officials in this process.