Attempts by Texas AG Ken Paxton & #the16 GA legislators to overturn our election is laid out in #SCOTUS filings.

Allege that SOS & GOP controlled Election Board did things that were contrary to Georgia law. I took a look and here are just some initial takeaways. 1/24

#The16 begin by citing to allegations in Trump complaint filed in Fulton County to contest election.

In that complaint, there are untested allegations that thousands voted illegally in GA.

But these numbers are wrong.

Just ask @BeeForGeorgia 2/23 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/heres-what-happened-when-a-georgia-lawmaker-scrutinized-the-trump-campaigns-list-of-allegedly-illegal-votes/2020/12/10/1400d628-3b06-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html

Next up in brief?

Signature Verification:

Lots of disinformation around this process. As an initial matter, Ga Constitution mandates secret ballots. Meaning, my ballot can’t be traced back to me. Because of this, when completing absentee ballot... 3/24

...voter must complete ballot and seal it in an envelope with no identifying information. That envelope is then place into another one and sealed. Voter signs the elector’s oath and returns to election's office. This signature is one that is verified. 4/24

Ga law (Section 21-2-386) provides that upon receipt of ballot, official shall compare identifying information on oath with information on file & compare signature w most recent signature in registration record & application. 5/24

If signature doesn’t match then ballot is marked rejected, but that’s not end of it.

Voter is then contacted to prove their identity. Called "curing." 6/24

Brief of #the16 asserts that SOS changed the law and this procedure via consent agreement that state entered into.

But only thing that SOS agreed to do w respect to signature verification process was to issue guidance/training to county election’s officials. 7/24

My understanding is that this guidance/training outlined a procedure to have more than one person look at signature before rejecting ballot.

Procedure allowed more scrutiny of signatures (not less) but was not adopted as regulation by Election Board.

8/24

Remember verification is front end of process. Absentee ballot won’t be accepted UNLESS: signature matches w/ signature in voter’s official registration file/signature on application & voter’s unique identifying info matches (legal name, voter ID number, legal address). 9/24

To prove that alleged SOS change to verification procedure was flawed, #The16 point to fact that there were way more ballots rejected due to signature mismatch in 2016 than 2020.

Is there another explanation for falloff other than county officials didn't do their job?

10/24

How about GA law makers amending law in 2019 to provide a process for voter to CURE signature that doesn't match ones on file?

Georgia law was changed to provide that if voter signs affidavit & provides evidence of identity, then ballot will be accepted and counted.

11/24

Falloff from 2016 to 2020 likely bc of addition of cure process.

2020 voters whose absentee ballots were initially rejected bc of signature issues were able to contact officials & PROVE identity.

Again, once voter did this, then ballot was accepted.

Changes in green.12/24

So, there could have been just as many ballots initially rejected on front end – but we don't know because voter could fix.

That's why looking at ballot rejection numbers due to signature mismatch in 2016 & comparing to 2020 numbers is flawed. Law isn't the same.

13/24

All of #the16 who were serving in 2019 voted for bill that added the cure process.

This change to the law did what it was supposed to do – allow for voters to prove their identity if signature questioned so that all legal ballots can be counted. 14/24

#The16 erroneously assert that Georgia law requires voters to sign their ballots.

I am not sure about Texas, but Georgia law can't require this because would be unconstitutional. See Ga Constitution.

15/24

#The16 cite to portions of Texas filing to support idea that SOS usurped power of GA legislature by allowing extra scrutiny of signatures.

Frankly this is first time I have seen Georgia lawmakers defer to another state's interpretation of our laws.16/24

Curiously, there is allegation that consent agreement that SOS entered into changed law by telling counties they didn’t need to compare signature on absentee ballots with signature on application. Not sure what this is about because consent agreement doesn't reflect this? 17/24

Poll Watcher Issue: #The16 argue that GOP poll watchers were physically barred from observing Fulton count. False.

But again, even if this were true, video of counting has shown normal processing of ballots & monitor from SOS was present. 18/24 https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/04/facebook-posts/no-georgia-election-workers-didnt-kick-out-observe/

While political parties have right to appoint two poll watchers, it isn’t required & often, parties do not appoint anyone. As for tabulating centers being open to public, it was. Fact that some GOP poll watchers called it a night & left (voluntarily) doesn’t show otherwise. 19/24

Early Ballot Processing: #The16 urge that fact that absentee ballots could be processed (NOT tabulated) starting two weeks prior to Election Day, probably means that something bad happened. But no proof is offered that early processing was in fact bad or affected outcome. 20/24

Mobile Voting Issue: #The16 wrongly assert that county can’t have “mobile voting location.” Not true. The mobile voting locations are early vote locations & 2019 law amended to give counties more flexibility re early vote sites. ( #The16 voted for these changes) 21/24

Drop Box: #the16 take issue w ballot drop boxes.

They argue that there isn’t a statute that allows use. But there isn’t statute that prohibits, so SOS has authority to allow. Oddly, they assert that boxes don’t allow ballots to be handled safely & securely like by USPS. 22/24

Why odd? Bc boxes are under video surveillance 24/7 & ballot collection is subject to strict chain of custody procedures. USPS boxes don't have anywhere near this level of security.

Also, no allegation that use of these drop boxes negatively impacted election in any way. 23/24

This thread isn't exhaustive analysis of brief.

Thing that really struck me was if above measures were so bad that they now warrant disenfranchising millions of voters & ceding our state sovereignty to Texas, why didn't #the16 do anything during our regular session?

24/24