Gail Buckner Secy of State rebuttal

Dear Democratic Colleagues:
It is an honor to be the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State. I am proud of the dedicated way that our statewide ticket is working together and I am so excited about how energized our local Democrats are around the state. Everyone is working so hard to make this a Democratic year! Every Democrat should win because the Republicans have proven repeatedly over the last four years that it is Democrats who truly know how to lead in Georgia!

Campaigns can often get side tracked with distorted issues and plain-old nonsense (http://www.jasonpye.com/files/pr_buckner.pdf ) And, it is with great disappointment that I am writing today to set the record straight on an item that has been totally blown out of proportion. What makes this so unfortunate is that a fellow Democrat who should be helping our ticket win is actually helping the other side because of a misguided sense of patriotism.

As you know, we will have a paper ballot pilot program in three counties on November 7. This is a result of S.B. 500 which passed the Senate and then the House Governments Affairs Committee. I voted for this bill in committee and on the House floor. Unfortunately, there were some citizens and legislators who wanted a paper ballot in every precinct of every county. Because the bill to put a paper ballot in every county did not pass, these people are now hell bent on distorting my support for a paper ballot.

Now I don't know why the other 90 House members voted against this amendment, but I voted no because I am confident that the amendment would have caused the paper ballot to be held up for this November election. As a member of the Government Affairs Committee, I spent extensive time calling local election officials around the state, as well as, talking to the state elections officials in Atlanta.

I am convinced that the paper ballot project would have been challenged because it could not have been implemented statewide in a timely and reasonable manner.

The paper ballot pilot would have been in file 13 right beside the Voter ID law.

Also, the results that other states have encountered by adding the paper ballot to the electronic voting machines have verified that a pilot project was the way to approach this change. One month ago in the State of Maryland 12,000 votes were lost because of problems with the paper ballot machines. Other states have had a myriad of problems with the paper ballot.

The irony here is that the folks who are making all the accusations are contradicting themselves in their approach to the paper ballot:

First, they are concerned that Georgia, in their opinion, rushed too fast to buy the electronic voting machines. Now rather than test the paper ballot, they are insisting that we should have purchased everything at once.

I would urge you to call your local elections director to discuss the electronic voting machines and how they think we should be responding to this issue.
Let me close by emphasizing that as Secretary of State, that I will make sure that Georgia has the most secure elections process that can possibly be established.

Everything will be on the table and I will peel back the process and do my own research with independent computer and elections experts. My first step will be to read the contracts for the purchase of the electronic voting machines and then proceed from that point. Every step will in the public?s eye and everyone who wishes can be present to hear every detail associated with the machines. Any recommendation that I make will be based on truth, including the fact that we have to restore confidence in our elections process.

It is with deep regret that I have had to take precious time to ask you to read this letter. Hopefully, we can get back to campaigning and finding independent and undecided voters who will help Democrats take back the Governor?s Office, keep the Lt. Governor and Secretary of State Offices and regain control of the House and Senate. Should you have any questions, please so not hesitate to call me.

May God bless your family and may God bless Georgia

best regards,

Gail Buckner