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ProPublica finds Georgia election board coordinated with Cleta Mitchell network

politicsNov 13, 202630894

ProPublica reviewed recordings showing members of Georgia’s State Election Board and much of its professional staff coordinated with Cleta Mitchell’s Election Integrity Network and allied group VoterGA on shared priorities in the run-up to the midterms. The recordings and documents show the groups promoted use of a controversial, error-prone software tool called ELLY to flag purportedly suspicious voters; in one instance a board member, Max Clavijo, used ELLY to identify four voters as dead who were in fact alive and whose ballot challenge was rejected. Current vice chair Janelle King and former vice chair Janice Johnston attended EIN or VoterGA meetings, and board executive director James Mills has worked closely with EIN, according to sources and communications reviewed by ProPublica. Fair Fight Action director Max Flugrath said EIN and Trump allies effectively captured the State Election Board to sustain 2020-era fraud claims and tilt elections toward Republicans. Board chair John Fervier said he had not realized EIN’s extent of influence, called for that influence to cease, and scheduled a special meeting to discuss personnel matters. Garland Favorito of VoterGA urged supporters to pressure board members to defend Mills and other staffers, and the board faces potential votes that could include terminating the executive director or investigators.

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