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Much like the fable of The Emperor’s New Clothes, the Democracy Defense Project (DDP) parades Georgia’s elections as “secure” while ignoring glaring, well-documented problems that are visible to anyone willing to look. Confidence built on a flawed system is not true security. Their leadership, comprised of former governors, senators, and mayors, issues confident statements about public trust and record turnout, but have they actually attended the court proceedings where the legality of Georgia’s election system is openly challenged? Have they been present at Georgia State Election Board meetings, where egregious violations-such as those by Fulton County-are detailed and debated? Have they listened to legislative testimony about irregular and incomplete voter roll databases that violate Georgia statutes? There is no public record of their engagement in these critical forums.
In contrast, hundreds of election integrity activists from across Georgia have attended these meetings, studied the evidence, and petitioned the government for redress of grievances. Their efforts have been met with indifference or outright dismissal by those who prefer the illusion of security to the reality of law and evidence.
Existing Law Violations
The DDP’s assurances ignore clear violations of Georgia law. State statute O.C.G.A. § 21-2-300(a)(2) requires that electronic ballot markers produce paper ballots “readable by the elector.” Yet, as established in Curling v. Raffensperger, Georgia’s Dominion voting system encodes votes in a QR code-a mark unreadable by voters-making it impossible for them to verify how their vote is actually recorded. This is not a theoretical concern; it is a direct violation of the law and has been recognized as such by a federal judge.
Security Concerns
Security lapses with the Dominion system are not speculative. The encryption codes are stored in plain text and system administrator password has been publicly available. The system relies on foreign corporations and microchips, raising national security concerns. These vulnerabilities are not just theoretical; they have been cited in ongoing litigation and legislative debate as reasons the system cannot be trusted to safeguard the vote. In fact, a ballot marking device was hacked in a US District Court with a ball point pen. Even the current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has famously stated, “You give anybody a voting machine and they can hack it.”
The Solution: Hand-Marked Paper Ballots
The solution is neither radical nor untested. Nearly seventy (70) percent of the United States votes on hand-marked paper ballots. Georgia law already allows for hand-marked paper ballots using the Absentee/Provisional/Emergency ballots, that can be scanned by tabulators, and, crucially, hand-counted and certified at the precinct level as required under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-437. Legislation advancing through the General Assembly would expand this option, providing voters the ability to mark their choices with pen or pencil, ensuring transparency and auditability. This approach is fully compliant with O.C.G.A. § 21-2-300(a)(2) and existing Georgia Rules & Regulations 183-1-12-.11, and would restore public trust by providing a verifiable paper trail. This process is transparent, auditable, and fully compliant with state law and federal civil rights protections. It would also comply with SB189 passed in 2024 requiring the removal of the QR code.
Conclusion
The DDP’s narrative is built on selective engagement and wishful thinking, much like the emperor’s courtiers admiring invisible clothes. Until they confront clear evidence of legal violations and security failures, their reassurances ring hollow. Georgia’s voters deserve elections that are not just secure in theory, but verifiable, transparent, and compliant with the law in practice. The path forward is clear: implement hand-marked paper ballots, publicly hand-counted and certified at the precinct, to ensure every voter can see-and trust-how their vote is counted.
Field Searcy is Co-founder of Georgiansfortruth.org. A grassroots group advocating for transparency, accuracy, and trust in Georgia's Election System. For more information and supporting documentation, please visit www.georgiansfortruth.org.
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