A new appointee to the Georgia State Election Commission has raised questions about whether she might be involved in preparations to subvert the election on behalf of Donald Trump and others who want to challenge election results that don’t go his way.
She said those fears were unfounded.
The speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives in May appointed Republican Janelle King, a Black conservative podcast host, to the key fifth seat on the Board of Selectmen. The state Republican Party welcomed King’s replacement of more moderate Republicans as a vote on “election integrity” ahead of the crucial presidential election.
But King flatly denied that she intended to interfere in the state’s election as a board member or that she had been in contact with the Trump campaign or its surrogates about the appointment.
“I’ve heard some rumors about what I’m going to do or not do,” King said. “I think that’s what people expect of me and what they think. But I’ve never been one to do anything based on what other people want. I like fairness and I like a good night’s sleep.
The Board of Elections promulgates election rules, conducts voter education, investigates issues of election misconduct or fraud, and makes recommendations regarding elections to the state attorney general or the Georgia General Assembly. The five-member commission, which has one appointee from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as one each from the governor, the state Senate and the state House of Representatives, currently appears to have a 4-1 Republican majority, although Gov. Brian Can Brian Kemp is not part of the increasingly radical Trump faction.
“The State Election Commission plays a huge role in the operation and certification of elections in Georgia, especially this year in swing states that decided the last presidential election,” said Stephanie Jackson Ali, policy director of the New Georgia Project Action Fund. “It’s no exaggeration. SEB members can decide who wins in November.”
Jackson-Ali added: “With this appointment, I am increasingly concerned about the future politicization of a board that should be focused on running elections smoothly and conveniently for Georgia voters rather than advancing an agenda of partisan interests.”
King is the state’s former deputy director. She also works on bipartisan outreach with the League of Women Voters. Her husband, Kelvin King, is co-chairman of Let’s Win For America Action, a conservative political action committee focused on minority advocacy for Republicans ethnic affairs. Kelvin King ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary to Trump’s preferred candidate, Herschel Walker.
Janelle King has not been actively involved in the maelstrom of election integrity politics in Georgia following the 2020 election. She also has less experience with elections than other appointed board members. Asked if she thought the 2020 election was conducted fairly in Georgia, she said she didn’t know.
“I think there are some things that are questionable,” King said. “I believe these things have disrupted the process of whether people trust us.”
She added that the role would “allow me to see the evidence – or lack thereof, whatever it is presented to.” “There are some things that are questionable. But we respect the decision that has been made, right? I mean, Trump is not in the White House. So, President Biden is our president. That’s where we stand.
King joins the board at a sensitive time in Georgia’s election cycle. Conservatives have questioned the competence of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, Georgia’s most populous county that includes much of Atlanta.
The state elections board voted last month to put Fulton County on warning and require outside monitoring for the remainder of the 2024 election cycle after it was discovered that county election workers double-counted in a recount of the 2020 presidential election. The censure came after violating state law when 3,075 ballots were cast.
The secretary of state’s office determined that the violation would not affect the outcome of the election. The results of Fulton County and the state’s 2020 elections have been verified multiple times in recounts and court findings.
Democratic activists say the state elections board’s focus on Fulton County will lead to further denials if Trump loses Georgia in November.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns appointed King to replace former state Rep. Edward Lindsey, whose lobbying efforts for county government and board votes angered the Trump wing of the party of Republicans. Lindsay was a decisive vote earlier this year against limiting absentee voting.
Right-wing groups such as the Texas Public Policy Foundation have been calling for Lindsay to step down, even though his term expired in March. The House failed to appoint his successor before recessing this year, leaving the decision up to Burns.
Burns’ appointment of King was welcomed as “very good news” by Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McQueen at a fundraising dinner in Columbus, who said the move provides the board with a “three-person working majority.” , three of whom agreed with us.” The Importance of Election Integrity”.
“I believe that when we look back on November 5, 2024, we will say that having a 3-2 election integrity-focused majority on the State Board of Elections ensures that we have a level playing field to win this election. McQueen added.
The board does not certify elections in Georgia; that role falls to county election boards and ultimately the Secretary of State’s office.
“I only have one vote,” King said. “I couldn’t have stopped anything myself if I wanted to. I’m not going to interfere in the election. My plan is to make sure that if something goes wrong, we need to fix it.
The Georgia speaker’s office denied that Trump, his staff or others representing his campaign had contacted Burns about replacing Lindsay on the board with someone who would serve Trump’s interests.
“There was no outside influence on Janelle King’s appointment to the State Board of Elections,” said Burns spokesperson Kayla Robertson. “As an independent thinker and impartial arbiter, Janelle will be a tremendous asset as she puts principles before politics and ensures transparency and accountability in our elections.”
