ATLANTA — Georgia election officials have opened an inquiry after receiving nearly 400 voter registration mailers that appear to have been sent to people who are no longer eligible to vote, including multiple deceased residents and one reported case involving a deceased family pet, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Friday.
State says third-party mailings are creating extra work for counties
Raffensperger said the mailings were linked to Ready to Register and other civic groups and that some of the materials even appeared to come from the Secretary of State’s office, prompting confusion among recipients. County election offices, already conducting routine voter-list maintenance ahead of the November general election, now must spend additional time reviewing and responding to the solicitations.
"Right now we're doing list maintenance, so we are already focused on regular list maintenance because the window's open because we don't have an active election going," Raffensperger said. "When I see this, it just really ties up resources."
Officials say the problem is not isolated to Georgia. Similar inaccurate registration mailings have been reported in North Carolina, according to Raffensperger, who said state investigators want to know who is sending the materials, where the organizations obtain their data and why the information is so out of date.
Why officials are concerned
State election officials warn that inaccurate mailings can confuse voters and place an unnecessary burden on county election offices. They also note that misleading communications could lead to errors in voter rolls or cause eligible voters to question their registration status.
- Size of the problem: Nearly 400 mailers reported to the Secretary of State’s office.
- Notable examples: Mail sent to deceased Georgia residents and one reported case involving a deceased family dog.
- Potential consequences: Confusion for voters and extra administrative work for counties during list maintenance ahead of the November election.
Raffensperger urged voters to verify their registration through the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page before the November election and to disregard any registration solicitations if they are already registered at their current address. State officials reiterated that they continue to focus on preventing illegal voting, such as double voting or ballots cast from outside the state.
Penalties and next steps
Georgia law provides serious penalties for election crimes. Raffensperger noted that penalties for voter fraud can include up to 10 years in prison and fines as high as $100,000. The Secretary of State’s office said it is investigating the organizations responsible for the mailings to determine the source of the faulty lists and whether any laws were violated.
| Detail | Figure or note |
|---|---|
| Mailers reported | Nearly 400 |
| Reported sent to | Deceased individuals; one reported deceased dog |
| Potential criminal penalties | Up to 10 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines |
County election offices will continue routine list maintenance as the state investigates. Voters with questions about their registration status are directed to consult the My Voter Page operated by the Secretary of State. Officials also advised Georgians to be cautious about third-party solicitations and to contact their local election office if they receive confusing or suspicious mailings.
This developing issue comes as Georgia prepares for a high-profile election season, with election officials emphasizing the need to ensure accurate voter rolls while protecting access to the ballot.
— Imani Walker, Georgia Correspondent, News Block
