The Fulton County Commission approved a $99,600 contract for election monitors on Nov. 5 as requested by the county’s election board.
The commission approved the four-month contract with the law firm of Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin on a 5-2 vote, with Commissioners Bridget Thorne and Bob Ellis voting against.
The State Election Board called for monitors after it reprimanded Fulton for double-scanning ballots during the recount of the 2020 presidential race.
The election monitors will look at everything from security and chain of custody procedures to post-election processes and certification. The work will start in September and end with a report by the end of the year.
Members of the monitoring team include:
- Lynn Bailey – Former Richmond County, Georgia elections director.
- Ryan Germany – Former general counsel for Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.
- Carter Jones – State Election Board appointed monitor of Fulton County Elections in 2020.
- Matt Mashburn – Former member and acting chairman of the State Election Board; former Republican Party statewide poll watcher.
Thorne questioned why Carter Jones, Fulton’s election monitor in 2020, was part of the new team. She alleged that Jones missed the mark on absentee ballot signature verifications and chain of custody on early voting machines.
While the Secretary of State’s Office has approved Fulton’s monitoring team, the controversial State Election Board has not done so yet.
Commission Marvin Arrington Jr. said the State Election Board is not working in good faith with the county. He said they were not likely to get agreement from all parties, so moving ahead with election monitors was the right move.
Fulton County began training poll workers on Tuesday and accuracy and logic testing of election machines starts Sept. 10.
County Commission Vice Chair Khadijah Abdur-Rahman said she supported election monitors.
“Let’s try to make sure that we do the things that are best not for any particular party but what’s best to make sure that we have safe secure elections and give the citizens of Fulton County the opportunity to vote, the opportunity to vote without interference, and the opportunity to have their say on Election Day,” Abdur-Rahman said.
