Secretary Raffensperger Calls on General Assembly to Put Georgia Voters on Santa’s Nice List and End Georgia Runoffs
Friday, December 22nd, 2023
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is renewing his call for the Georgia General Assembly to eliminate General Election Runoffs in the state. Next year, as the jingle bells of a contentious Presidential election ring, families across Georgia should be prepared to feast on turkey – not political stuffing. Let's spare them the extra helping of election talk at the holiday table. Secretary Raffensperger urges the General Assembly to unwrap this topic in the next legislative session and sleigh this unnecessary distraction.
The holiday season is upon us, and in 2024, Georgians should spend the season with loved ones and create lasting memories – not being inundated with political solicitations for an upcoming runoff. Runoffs have occurred in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 general elections. The end of this holiday campaigning would be Santa’s greatest gift to Georgia voters.
“Georgia is one of the few remaining states using the General Election Runoff model,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “Next year, there will be a contentious presidential election – and families across Georgia will be settling down for the holidays shortly after – let’s give them a break and take another costly and unnecessary election off the thanksgiving table. I’m calling on the General Assembly to visit this topic next session and eliminate this outdated distraction.”
The legislative session begins in January, and legislators have a wide range of options to consider.
“No one wants to be dealing with politics in the middle of their family holiday,” said Raffensperger. “Our county election offices will already be securing the 2024 presidential election with audits and certifying those results. Let’s not burden them with another election.”
Georgia's 2022 midterms shattered previous turnout records and achieved a high level of access for Georgia voters. Some counties had as many as 19 days of Early Voting in the General Election, and Georgia voters needed no excuse to vote early or by mail. Georgia continues to be a national leader in providing safe, secure, and accessible elections to all eligible Georgians.