Fulton elections investigation sent to attorney general | www.myajc.com

Thousands of Fulton County voters were forced to cast provisional ballots last year when they could have cast a regular ballot. Some were told — incorrectly — that they couldn’t vote at all. Others simply gave up after spending hours in a futile attempt to choose their elected officials.

An investigator listed those findings at a State Election Board hearing Tuesday, giving example after example of how he alleged Fulton County botched its 2012 general election. And though county officials say some of the investigation’s other claims are exaggerated, board members voted unanimously to refer the matter to the state’s attorney general for administrative proceedings.

Those proceedings will determine whether Fulton committed at least 15 violations of state election laws during its 2012 general and primary elections. It faces the possibility of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and perhaps some remedial lessons in how to run elections.

A settlement of the case could involve additional training and reporting requirements. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, whose office conducted the investigation, said he hopes it’s resolved in time to help Fulton better prepare for elections next year.

via Fulton elections investigation sent to attorney general | www.myajc.com.