Probe Into Cobb Elections Comes After 2nd Absentee Ballot Snafu

MARIETTA, GA — Shortly after a Cobb County judge extended the deadline for some absentee ballots to be returned in the U.S. Senate runoff, a second investigation into the county's handling of absentee ballots was launched.

The runoff Tuesday is between Democratic U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

The Georgia State Election Board held an emergency session Saturday, announcing its investigation into Cobb County, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The outlet reported the state board claims the Cobb elections office failed to mail more than 3,400 absentee ballots on time in the runoff.

At least two people currently out of state reported never receiving their absentee ballots, according to a consent order between the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration and the American Civil Liberties Union.

A Cobb woman, currently in California, said she requested her ballot Nov. 14, was notified it was received Nov. 18 and was notified Nov. 21 that it had been mailed.

A second Cobb woman, currently in New York, said she requested her ballot Nov. 21, was notified it was received Nov. 22 and was notified Nov. 23 that it had been issued.

Both voters said their ballots had not come in as of Friday, and if they did receive them, the women did not believe they would have enough time to return the ballots under the Dec. 6 deadline, according to the order.

Cobb officials announced Friday that Cobb County Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill extended the return deadline from 7 p.m., Dec. 6, to 7 p.m., Dec. 9, for ballot requests accepted on or before Nov. 26.

The consent order addressed a "confluence of deadlines," saying a holiday, a new state statute and Thanksgiving led to the delay in sending out some absentee ballots.

Additionally, the order allows for voters who had an absentee ballot request accepted on or before Nov. 26 to use the federal write-in absentee ballot in the case they have not yet received their ballot, county officials said.

All ballots must be postmarked no later than Dec. 6, Election Day, the county said.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger disagreed with the order, saying it alters "state law at the request of political activists on the eve of an election" and called it a horrible idea, the AJC reported.

The runoff is not the first time the state board is investigating Cobb this year for its management of absentee ballots.

The board has an open investigation into the county after elections officials did not mail out more than 1,000 absentee ballots to residents in the Nov. 8 general election. Hill granted a consent order then to extend the return deadline.

In response to the state board's allegations, county officials released Sunday the following statement:

"The Cobb Board of Elections is aware of and will cooperate with the (Georgia) State Board of Elections' investigations into the county's absentee ballot processes. When litigation was initiated related to absentee ballot distribution during the general election and absentee ballot application processing for the runoff, our attorneys worked with the plaintiffs to reach an agreement on the terms of consent orders to ensure voters that requested absentee ballots received one and would have their vote counted."

The county made note of the increase in people choosing to vote by absentee ballots and said Cobb is issuing more absentee ballots than any other county in the runoff.

"Our office and other elections offices across the state face challenges created by this increased demand and the reduced timelines for absentee ballot processing and distribution mandated under (Senate Bill) 202. The Cobb Board of Elections and Registration is committed to reviewing and updating our processes and procedures following the Dec. 6 runoff and will incorporate any findings from state officials into our review and updates."

Lisa Cupid, chairwoman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, said Friday in a video statement that problems in the runoff are leading officials to assess election processes.

Cobb has extended hours for voters to return their ballots on or before Election Day.

The county elections main office, located at 995 Roswell St., in Marietta, is accepting absentee ballots 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday.