Democrats and Republicans in Georgia are demanding paper ballots in this year’s Presidential election. Officials from both parties declared that they want rid of electronic voting, saying it makes it too easy to “manipulate elections.” The Peach State used Dominion Voting Systems machines during the 2020 election, leading to a string of controversies and claims of cheating.
When Joe Biden was declared the winner in 2020, Donald Trump insisted the election was rigged, with significant focus on Georgia. Subsequently, some conservative reporters and commentators across the nation took up the cause and repeated the former President’s allegations. The result was a lawsuit that threatened to shut down Fox News.
Dominion Voting Systems sued the right-leaning network, which defended itself by citing the First Amendment. Nevertheless, the matter ended with a huge $787 million settlement. Dominion filed for defamation, and its attorney, Justin Nelson, told the network, “Lies have consequences.” The episode appeared to damage relations between Donald Trump and Fox, particularly its own Rupert Murdoch.
During the trial, Mr. Murdoch gave a deposition and said that he believed the election was free and fair. Trump was subsequently far less likely to appear on Fox News, and at a rally in 2022, he called it a network of “traitors.”
Back in Georgia, a representative of the Democratic Party has issued a statement on the matter. Jeanne Dufort, the chair of the Morgan County Democrat Party, said, “It’s madness, actually, to go into a system and have all of our ballots relying on that.” Similarly, Dr. Rich DeMillo of Georgia Tech’s School of Cybersecurity and Privacy noted that “global breaches of cybersecurity systems over the last two years” have left room for doubt and could lead to legal challenges if the Peach State result is close in November.
In 2020, Georgia vote counters complained of “glitches” in the system, particularly in Spalding and Morgan counties. Comparable complaints emerged in Michigan, where Republicans claimed that thousands intended for GOP candidates were awarded to Democrats. In Antrim County, Biden was declared the winner until the “glitch” was noted, and the votes referred back to Donald Trump.
