Georgia Election Board to hear allegations of voter fraud - CBS46 News

The Georgia Election Board will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss a voter registration group that's accused of voter fraud.

The meeting comes one day after leaders of New Georgia Project refused to turn over  documents requested by the Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, by a deadline outlined in a subpoena they were given last week.

New Georgia Project, which was founded by House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, a Democrat from Atlanta, said the group is being harassed for political purposes.

Abrams said New Georgia Project has signed up more than 85,000 new voters in the last six months.

A spokesman for Secretary of State Brian Kemp, a Republican, said the Secretary of State's Office began its investigation after receiving complaints of voter fraud. A preliminary investigation showed some of the applications contained forged signatures.

"The issue for us is not whether it's politically motivated, but whether it's proper; whether it's an abuse of power," Abrams said.

Abrams said the subpoena is overly broad and that they were never given sufficient time to comply with it. She also claims her organization was granted a little leeway.

"We received notice today they're going to extend," Abrams said. "We are waiting for written confirmation of that extension."

A spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office could not confirm that an extension was given.

Meanwhile, leaders of the New Georgia Project are raising concerns of their own about the Secretary of State's Office. They claim many of the people they have registered to vote have not shown up on registered voter logs.

"Our deepest concern is that their voices be heard on Election Day, starting on Oct. 13. And until that happens, the Secretary of State has not done his job," said Abrams.

The Secretary of State's Office says it will give an update on the investigation to Election Commissioners at Wednesday State Election Board Meeting, which is open to the public. The meeting is scheduled at 3 p.m. in Room 341 of the state capitol.

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