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Challenges to a Secretary of State’s Election Management

Robert Timothy Reagan
November 21, 2023

Common Cause of Georgia v. Kemp (Amy Totenberg, 1:18-cv-5102) and Brown v. Kemp (William M. Ray II, 1:18-cv-5121) (N.D. Ga.)
Two federal lawsuits filed on the day before and the day of a general election challenged a secretary of state’s election oversight. The first case alleged susceptibility to tampering of voters’ records. The second case challenged the propriety of a secretary of state presiding over an election in which he is running for governor. A related case from the previous year challenged the security of touchscreen voting machines. A federal judge ordered the use of provisional ballots as an interim remedy for voter-record discrepancies, pursuant to the Help America Vote Act. Apparently the winner of the gubernatorial election, the secretary notified the judge in the other case of his resignation as secretary of state.
Subject: Voting procedures. Topics: Voting technology; provisional ballots; case assignment; Help America Vote Act (HAVA); laches; removal; enjoining certification; attorney fees.

One of many Case Studies in Emergency Election Litigation.

Downloadable file:
PDF icon Case Study 8 pages

Tags:
Attorney Fees | Election Litigation | Case Assignment | Enjoining Certification | Help America Vote Act (HAVA) | Provisional Ballots | Voting Procedures | Voting Technology | Emergency Proceedings | Laches | Removal | U.S. District Courts | N.D. Ga.