, a non-profit government transparency organization, has filed a lawsuit against the Georgia State Election Board for allegedly violating the state’s Open Meetings Act. The organization claims that the board improperly conducted a meeting behind closed doors on June 15, 2021, without giving proper notice to the public.
The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, alleges that the election board violated the law by failing to provide advance notice of the meeting, as required by the Open Meetings Act. American Oversight also alleges that the board failed to provide a valid reason for closing the meeting to the public, further violating the law.
The meeting in question was reportedly held to discuss a proposal by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to take over the Fulton County elections board, a move that has sparked controversy and concerns about partisan influence in the state’s elections. American Oversight argues that the closed-door meeting deprived the public of the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process and violated their rights to transparency and accountability.
In a statement, American Oversight’s executive director Austin Evers emphasized the importance of government transparency and accountability, stating that “public officials cannot make decisions behind closed doors, especially when those decisions could impact the integrity of our elections.”
The lawsuit seeks to compel the election board to comply with the Open Meetings Act and to provide proper notice of any future meetings. American Oversight is also calling for the release of any records related to the closed-door meeting in question.
As the lawsuit moves forward, the outcome could have significant implications for the transparency and integrity of Georgia’s electoral processes. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of ensuring open and accountable government, particularly in the context of election administration.
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