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Chairman of Georgia’s State Election Board resigns a year after taking office
William S. Duffey, Jr. is sworn in by Gov. Kemp on June 16, 2022. (Credit: Office of Gov. Kemp)
Gist
The head of Georgia’s Elections Board has resigned effective Friday.
William Duffey Jr. is leaving after serving 14 months on the board that oversees state election laws and investigates allegations of fraud and other election-related malfeasance. He notified Gov. Brian Kemp of his decision in a July letter.
The governor announced Duffey’s resignation Monday.
“I appreciate his willingness to serve over the past year in that role as we went through another election cycle and wish him and [his wife] Betsy well in the years ahead,” Kemp said in a statement.
What’s Happening?
The retired federal judge was appointed as chairman of the elections board in June 2022, replacing Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger who was effectively removed from the board. The change was a result of a massive overhaul of state election laws and procedures which led to the creation of The Georgia Election Integrity Act in March 2021.
In addition to no longer being chairman of the Elections Board, Raffensperger — and any future secretary of state — lost his voting power on the board. Critics said Raffensperger’s removal was Republican retaliation for mailing out 7 million absentee ballot applications during the 2020 presidential election, which was held during the pandemic.
Why It Matters
Duffey stepped into the position after a long career that included jobs as a U.S. Attorney and federal judge, and various posts in which he “established himself as a man of integrity who will uphold the highest ethical standards in his application of the laws of our state and nation,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in the June 2022 press release announcing Duffey’s appointment.
In addition to removing the secretary of state from the Elections Board, the new law boosted the board’s authority, giving it the right to intervene in managing local elections. The secretary of state still certifies election results and the election division of the secretary of state’s office continues to supervise and work with local election boards.
What’s Next?
In his letter to the governor, Duffey said he is resigning to allow the next chairperson to have “sufficient time for that person to continue to prepare for the 2024 election cycle.”
As for Duffey’s replacement?
“There’s currently no timeline at least on our end,” a spokesman for the governor said Monday.
Have questions, comments or tips? Contact Tammy Joyner on Twitter @lvjoyner or at [email protected].
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Header image: William S. Duffey, Jr. is sworn in by Gov. Kemp on June 16, 2022. (Credit: Office of Gov. Kemp)
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