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Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections Special Meeting Notes 3/23/21

Willa Jean Fambrough (Commission Appointee)

Board Member                         

Email:  [email protected] 

Term expires:  12/31/2023

Hunaid Qadir (Commission Appointee)  

Board Member                         

Email: [email protected]                                           

Term expires:  12/31/2024                      

Ann Till (Republican Committee Appointee)

Board Member

Email: [email protected]                                                  

Term expires:  12/31/2022

Rocky Raffle (Democratic Committee Appointee)

Board Member                                                                                     

Email: [email protected]

Term expires:  12/31/2022

Adam Shirley (Commission Appointee)

Board Member

Email:  [email protected]                                                

Term expires:  12/31/2024  

Meeting is called to order and Board members oath of office is read

Approval of the Agenda 

Approved

Public Comments:

Letter from W.T. Holland: To whom it may concern it is surprising you’ll affirm your oath yet undermine legislation to secure our election. If you commit to this I will make it my personal duty to make sure that none of you ever see the light of office again

John Roden: It has come to my attention that in reading the draft legislation the opposition as superintendent, However this is not the superintendent of election Charlotte Sosbee but your five member board. Could you address this?

Cynthia Sullivan: As an American citizen and resident of athens I am asking that you reject this resolution

D. Carter: Dear board members it is my understanding you represent us, the voters. The legislature is working hard to restore voter confidence.  Your cries of suppression ring hollow when you presided over an election with actual disenfranchised voters.

Unnamed commentator: This is just to express my concern over bills that would restrict access to voting. It is my hope that the board will pass a resolution opposing this

End of public comments

commenter Roden is referred to OCGA Sec 21-2-40 speaks about creation of BOE’s. The Board is the Superintendent of Elections

Would you mind giving us the 15 obligations of superintendent. Is there not a stipulation that if we are not properly certified we can be fined.

I cannot give you an opinion one way or another right now this is my first time hearing these concerns.

I would say that unless we can define the duties then we cannot say that we are the Superintendent.

We are not suggesting. The code is clear  and you, the board are the superintendent

Motion to proceed with Business

Approved

Discussion of resolution

Hunaid: I would like the board to look at the title. I would rather use the word discourage than suppress

Adam: I see where you’re coming from but suppress gets the point across

Hunaid: Upon reading the rest of the title I see you’re point

Lines 23-25 says we received zero complaints from our staff?

Yes this is correct 

Motion to keep language in lines 29-32

Approved 

3 In Favor

2 Abstained

Line 36

I believe the word opposed is more appropriate than denounces in this case?

What about Censures instead?

Motion to change denounces to censures in line 36

Approved

I’m not sure the legislature is as informed about the process of validating voters. I suggest that we add in new lines in 39-41 to offer training to our legislative delegation so they can review the election process without prejudice

Motion to add sending copies of the resolution to these extra parties

Clerk of the house 

Secretary of the senate

House Election Integrity Committee

Committee chair of senate ethics

County Commissioner

It is delegated to Adam Shirley the distribution of the resolution

Motion to Approve Resolution

4 Approved 

1 Abstain

Next Meeting: April 13th, 4:30PM

Meeting Adjourned


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