The State of Georgia approved a center founded by Democratic ex-president Jimmy Carter to monitor the recount, but will not allow President Donald Trump to do the same.
The Carter Center on Friday said Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office accredited it to “monitor the risk-limiting audit taking place in the state of Georgia.”
Meanwhile, President Trump on Monday tweeted, “Georgia won’t let us look at the all important signature match. Without that the recount is MEANINGLESS. Open up unconstitutional Consent Decree, NOW! @BrianKempGA“.
Georgia won’t let us look at the all important signature match. Without that the recount is MEANINGLESS. Open up unconstitutional Consent Decree, NOW! @BrianKempGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2020
On Saturday, Trump tweeted, “They wouldn’t let our Poll Watchers and Observers into the Counting Rooms. We win on that alone!”
They wouldn’t let our Poll Watchers and Observers into the Counting Rooms. We win on that alone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2020
This marks the first time the Carter Center has monitored an American election, although it has done so in foreign countries for decades, Fox 5 Atlanta said.
Jake Evans, a Republican election lawyer and member of Raffensperger’s election task force, told the TV station he welcomes the center’s involvement, but cautions against appearances.
The Carter Center has to be mindful of the optics and the potential implications given their primary priorities, said Evans.
The Carter Center’s website says it “is guided by the principles of our Founders, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter” and seeks to address human rights, alleviate human suffering and resolve conflicts.
According to the center, it will send monitors to a number of county audit boards. The center calls itself “nonpartisan.”
As an independent, nonpartisan monitor, The Carter Center will assess the postelection audit and related processes to help bolster transparency and confidence in election results.
Audits help confirm that the winners of an electoral contest did in fact receive the most votes. The exercise, which is open to the public, reinforces transparency in the electoral system.
The Carter Center’s statement does not address the sticky situation of mail-in ballots.
Robert Romano, vice president of public policy at Americans for Limited Government, has criticized Georgia’s system for handling mail-in ballots in this election — they were already separated from the envelopes, making it perhaps impossible to pull those votes if they were cast by ineligible voters. State law requires a voter’s signature on the envelope, not the ballot.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “The Carter Center” by The Carter Center.
