Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for July 8, 2020

On July 8, 1776, the bell now known as the Liberty Bell rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House, now called Independence Hall, to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Rung to call the Pennsylvania Assembly together and to summon people for special announcements and events, it was also rung on important occasions, such as King George III’s 1761 ascension to the British throne and, in 1765, to call the people together to discuss Parliament’s controversial Stamp Act. With the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775, the bell was rung to announce the battles of Lexington and Concord. Its most famous tolling, however, was on July 8, 1776, when it summoned Philadelphia citizens for the first reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The Liberty Bell inscription includes a reference to Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”

The first of General William Tecumseh Sherman’s troops, under Major General Schofield, crossed the Chattahoochee River between Powers Ferry and Johnson Ferry on July 8, 1864.

Former United States Senator from Texas Phil Gramm (R) was born on July 8, 1942 in Columbus, Georgia, where his father was stationed at Fort Benning.

On July 8, 1975, President Gerald Ford announced his candidacy for President in the 1976 elections.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says Georgia National Guard troops aren’t needed after a weekend of stunning levels of gun violence. From Fox5Atlanta:

Kemp declared a state of emergency on Monday and authorized the activation of up to 1,000 Guard troops after a weekend of gun violence in Atlanta left five people dead, including an 8-year-old girl.

But Bottoms said Kemp issued his order without asking if the city needed extra help. The city had already been coordinating with the Georgia State Patrol, and “at no time was it mentioned that anyone felt there was a need for the National Guard to come in,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Nikema Williams, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, called Kemp’s decision reckless. Critics of such mobilizations have said that deploying military troops on otherwise calm city streets could provoke more violence.

“His choice to deploy National Guard troops for today’s selfish purpose is outrageous and will endanger lives,” she said in a statement.

When asked about a surge in violence in the city, the mayor said she thinks people are anxious and frustrated about the coronavirus pandemic and high-profile cases of police brutality.

“I think it’s just a perfect storm of distress in America,” said the mayor, who learned Monday that she, her husband, and one of their four children have tested positive for COVID-19.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance requiring face masks in public, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

The Athens-Clarke Commission unanimously approved the requirement in Tuesday’s monthly commission voting meeting. After Mayor Kelly Girtz signed the ordinance, remotely while on vacation, it was set to go into effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday and expire on August 4, though the commission could extend it.

The commission defines the facial covering as “a device to cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of saliva or other fluids during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other intentional or involuntary action. Medical grade masks are not required, coverings may be fashioned from scarves, bandanas, or other suitable fabrics. The mask must cover the [m]outh and nose of the wearer.”

The requirement does not apply to people in their vehicles, homes or yards, nor to children 10 and under, nor to people in church, though the ordinance does “encourage” churchgoers to wear masks.

In Athens, the penalties are $25 for a first offense, $25 for a second and $100 for a third. That might have to be boosted, she said.

East Point also passed a mask requirement, according to the AJC.

East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham said the Southside city of 35,000 residents drew inspiration and language from Savannah’s rules.

“We’re not talking about politics, we’re talking about whether people live,” Ingraham said of the city’s mandate, which carries a $75 penalty. “I just don’t feel like we have the luxury or ability not to take action.”

The city has logged 52 new cases over the last 14 days, she said, representing the highest increase of cases they’ve had since officials started collecting the data months ago. When asked about the possibility of being admonished by the state, Ingraham said Kemp’s silence spoke volumes.

“The fact that the governor has chosen not to act suggests that there is no conflict,” she said.

Governor Brian Kemp launched a Georgia Safety Promise campaign to promote public health measures, according to the Albany Herald.

“As we continue to fight COVID-19, we want to ensure Georgia businesses and the public are abiding by public health guidance in order to keep Georgia healthy and open for business,” Kemp said in a news release.

“The Georgia Safety Promise is a pledge between business owners and and the public to join together to maintain a safe environment following Georgia Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines. By working together, we can continue to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.”

Businesses that commit to the Georgia Safety Promise voluntarily agree to follow the latest guidelines from the Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Health — including promoting social distancing, wearing face coverings, cleaning surfaces, and washing and sanitizing hands. Participating Georgia businesses will receive a full digital toolkit of resources to share their commitment, including social media posts, signage for their business, and more.

Gov. Kemp is seeking federal support for COVID testing in Gwinnett County, according to the AJC.

Kemp on Tuesday asked for help getting personal protective equipment like masks and gloves for the state’s first responders and essential workers and an extension in funding for the Georgia National Guard, which has been performing COVID-19 testing and sanitizing long-term care homes during the pandemic.

In addition to sustaining the ongoing federal coronavirus assistance, Kemp is seeking additional funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to increase Gwinnett’s testing infrastructure, a spokesman said.

The increase in cases has put pressure on Gwinnett’s testing infrastructure. There are two health department-operated test sites in Gwinnett County, but they can only process about 1,000 tests per day, Dr. Audrey Arona, Gwinnett Newton and Rockdale County Health Director, told Channel 2 Action News.

Kemp’s request for the additional federal help was relayed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General after Surgeon General Jerome Adams accompanied Kemp on a statewide “Wear a Mask” tour last week. Adams appeared in Gwinnett on July 3, urging people to wear a mask over the long holiday weekend.

Senate Bill 359 was the vehicle used to pass business protections from COVID-19 lawsuits during the last session of the Georgia General Assembly. From the Savannah Morning News:

Senate Bill 359 aims to provide for certain immunities from liability claims regarding COVID-19. Gov. Brian Kemp has until August 5 to sign the bill into law. The bill would cover all claims accruing before July 14, 2021.

Passed largely along party lines with republicans supporting it and democrats voting against it, by the State House of Representatives 104-56 and later by the Senate in a 34-16 vote, the immunity bill covers both businesses of all kinds and individuals and provides immunity for COVID-related claims except in instances of gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, reckless infliction of harm or intentional infliction of harm.

Under the bill, businesses can be further protected by posting signage that states that patrons assume any risk by entering the facility. These waivers can also be printed on tickets, receipts or wristbands.

Floyd County Commissioners appear unlikely to require masks in public, according to the Rome News Tribune.

Keith Higgins announced he’s collected nearly enough signatures to run as an independent against Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson (R) in the general election, according to The Brunswick News.

The independent candidate wants to challenge current Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson in the November general election, but to do so he needs a little more than 5,000 signatures from registered voters in the five-county circuit. Johnson is a Republican unchallenged by anyone in her party or by a Democrat in her bid for another four-year term of office.

Higgins has since collected well over the requisite 5,038 signatures, but only 4,300 of those have been verified against the Georgia Secretary of State’s records as of now. He’s hasn’t been keeping track of the exact number beyond that, they won’t get him on the ballot.

He’s making a push over the next month to get the final 700 or so, a much stronger push than he likely needs.

A farmers market in Jesup is the first stop Thursday, followed by signing events every Saturday in Appling, Camden and Glynn counties.

Registered voters can also sign the petition at 17 businesses in the area, which can be found on Higgins’ campaign website, votekeithhiggins.com.

He needs to turn in all 5,000 signatures by Aug. 14. The general election is set for Nov. 3.

The Brunswick Judicial Circuit serves Appling, Camden, Glynn, Jeff Davis, and Wayne Counties.

Muscogee County School District is considering raising property taxes in response to COVID-19, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Columbus property owners will be required to pay more in taxes if the school board approves the Muscogee County School District’s plan to cover expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The plan calls for a maximum increase of 3.92% in the millage rate.

“The Board has determined that this proposed mill levy might be necessary to provide the resources needed for all students to achieve as the District continues its efforts to providing premiere services,” MCSD’s news release says. “In recent years, the District has improved on all performance metrics to include the Georgia College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI), SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement (AP), and graduation rates.”

MCSD is facing a a funding shortfall of $16,768,024, according to the news release, and is trying to make up for a reduction in state funding due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

Georgia Department of Public Health District 2 will offer immunization clinics for some students, according to the Gainesville Times.

The Hall County Health Department clinic will be providing students with needed immunizations the week of July 20-24. Parents of seventh-grade students can bring them in to be vaccinated on Monday and Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Pre-K and kindergarten students can receive vaccinations at the same site on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All vaccinations will be administered by appointment only, and parents and students are expected to observe social distancing as well as wear a mask while inside the clinic for vaccination.

Public Health clinics in Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun and Towns counties will be providing immunizations to students on the same week and with the same schedule as Hall County. Dawson, Habersham, Union and White counties will offer the same services the week of July 13-17, while Banks, Forsyth, Franklin and Stephens counties will provide vaccinations the week of July 27-31.

“With the challenges and uncertainty that we face with COVID-19, it can be easy to forget about school and necessary vaccines for your child (or children). Kids need pencils, paper and other supplies for school. Just as important, children entering kindergarten, middle school and high school are required to have certain vaccinations and not all children are up-to-date on their shots,” according to an statement from District 2 Public Health on July 6.

Some Oconee County parents think school health plans don’t go far enough, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

Cobb County schools will require masks for returning classroom students, according to the AJC.

Hall County public schools is asking parents to choose between options for in-person or remote learning, according to AccessWDUN.

Gwinnett County Public Schools will delay reopening one week in the fall, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

“We will be looking at a delayed start from the previous Aug. 5 start date,” [Superintendent J. Alvin] Wilbanks said. “We are looking at a start date of Aug. 12. This will give the district additional time to review and adjust this return to school plan so it best meets the needs of students and reflects the most update guidance from public health officials.”

Families will have the choice of having their students return to school facilities for in-person instruction, or participating in digital learning when the school year begins. Students who return for in-person instruction, however, will be required to wear face masks, Wilbanks said.

District employees will also be required to wear face masks or coverings under a separate measure approved by the school board Tuesday. Social distancing will also be encouraged.

“We’re ordering masks for teachers and staff and we’ll ask students to provide their masks,” Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Operations Steve Flynt said. “When they’re not able to, or get sick or don’t have one or something may happen to theirs, we’ll have additional ones to provide them …

“But we’re going to be asking students (to wear something) similar to what you’d be wearing on a daily basis.”

Valdosta City Council canceled its public meetings this week due to having no agenda items, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

Macon-Bibb County Commissioners will consider an ordinance to move a Confederate memorial, according to the Macon Telegraph.

The resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Virgil Watkins, would require the statue of an anonymous Civil War soldier to be moved to Whittle Park so construction can take place in Cotton Avenue Plaza, according to the resolution. Whittle Park is on Riverside Drive, outside of Rose Hill Cemetery.

“The more I learn about the history of the Confederate statue in that location… the less I’m interested — and I think the general public is interested — in having something like that in the center of our downtown,” Watkins told the Telegraph. “It is not a useful space. With a little bit of improvement, we can plan to do better, and we’ll move the statue to a place that may be more relevant.”

Tuesday, Mayor Robert Reichert referred the matter to the Macon-Bibb County Commission’s Committee of the Whole.

The Dalton City Government has setup a dedicated email address for crazy people residents to more efficiently be ignored send comments, according to the Dalton Daily Post.

Anyone with a comment that they’d like to send to city leaders can send an email to comments@daltonga.gov and the message will be forwarded to the mayor and council members or other appropriate city staff.

The public comment session of the June 15 meeting of the City Council lasted nearly two hours with area residents addressing the council members on a number of issues including the statue of Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston downtown. Due to social distancing measures enacted by the city in response to the COVID-19 pandemic there was only seating in the council chamber for about 25, so many people waiting to make their comments had to stand in line outside of the chamber. While there will still be a time set aside in upcoming meetings of the council for public comments, the comments@daltonga.gov email address has been set up to give residents another way to send their comments to the council members without having to wait in line.

Department of Elections

Eight thousand or more Absentee Ballots were rejected by elections officials because the arrived late, according to GPB News.

According to the state’s absentee voting records, more than 11,000 mail-in ballots were rejected this cycle, and 8,479 were received after polls closed, about 0.74% of the total absentee ballots returned.

But an analysis by GPB News and the Georgia News Lab shows the actual number of late ballots is higher than reported, as some counties did not enter all of their rejections — or lower, as some erroneously reported unreturned ballots as late.

Fulton County, Georgia’s most populous, reported no late ballots, but officials said in a follow-up interview the number was actually 951.

Fulton County Registration Chief Ralph Jones Sr. said the county sent letters to voters saying their ballots were rejected, but did not record those ballots in the state’s ElectioNet reporting system.

Fulton County will open 20 early voting centers, including one at State Farm Arena, ahead of the August 11 runoff election, according to the Rome News Tribune.

After hosting only five early voting sites for the June 9 primary election, Fulton County is opening 20 for the Aug. 11 primary runoff election.

Early voting runs July 20 through Aug. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Saturday voting July 25 and Aug. 1 and no Sunday voting taking place. Locations are distributed throughout the county, and for early voting, any voter registered in Fulton may vote at any county polling location. At least three sites are located in each Fulton Board of Commissioners district.

Voters at all Fulton polling places will be asked to wear a mask or face covering, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced. The number of voters inside a facility at a given time may be limited.

A state lawsuit seeks a Special Election in Athens-Clarke County Commission District 6 after voters elected a dead man, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

[The late incumbent Jerry] NeSmith won the June 9 District 6 election with a comfortable margin, garnering 57 percent of the votes in an election in which most voters voted absentee, well before NeSmith’s death.

But NeSmith’s votes must be considered null and void, Athens-Clarke County Attorney Judd Drake concluded after studying applicable state and federal law.

[Plaintiffs] are asking a judge to rule that NeSmith’s votes be counted, that he be declared the winner of the June 9 election, and to order a special election for a four-year term beginning in January

The Georgia Secretary of State‘s Office extended the registration deadline for the August 11 runoff elections, according to the AJC.

Before Raffensperger changed the registration deadline, voters could have only participated in state and local runoffs on Aug. 11 if they had signed up in time to vote in the primary election, by May 11.

Georgia law set the earlier voter registration deadline for state and local runoffs, but the National Voter Registration Act requires voter registration deadlines within 30 days of a federal election.

It wasn’t feasible to maintain separate voter registration deadlines for state and federal elections held on the same day, according to the secretary of state’s office.

“In 2017, a federal judge ruled that Georgia could no longer require that voters had to be registered for the primary in order to vote in the runoff for federal elections, and that decision made it impossible to fully comply with both the NVRA and state law when federal and state elections are held on the same day.” said Walter Jones, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office.

Gwinnett County elections officials released information on Runoff Election early voting, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

[Elections Supervisor Kristi] Royston presented the proposed early voting schedule for approval by the commissioners. The biggest change between the runoff and last month’s primary is that the county will not use the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds due to a scheduling issue, Royston said.

The fairgrounds had been used for early voting ahead of the June 9 because it provided a large space to conduct voting while practicing social distancing.

The schedule presented Tuesday includes three full weeks of early voting, including two full weekends, from July 20 to Aug. 7 at the county’s elections headquarters, which is located at 455 Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville. It will also include one full week, including one full weekend, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 at four satellite locations. Early voting hours at all sites would be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Elections officials are anticipating higher than normal absentee-by-mail participation in the runoff. there was a large number of absentee by mail ballots cast in the June 9 primary, when both parties had contested races appearing on the ballot.