DeKalb County Board of Elections Pre-Certification Meeting – April 8, 2026
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DeKalb County Board of Elections Pre-Certification Meeting – April 8, 2026
The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections held a pre-certification meeting on April 8, 2026, to review precinct returns from the special election held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. This meeting was required by State Election Board Rule 183-1-12-point-one-two and involved comparing the total number of ballots cast to the total number of unique voter ID numbers across all precincts. No action was taken; the board simply reviewed the data, which showed no discrepancies.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda was approved by a motion and unanimous vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Liz Troop (spelled as "Liz Truth" and "Liz True" in transcript but corrected by speaker) addressed the board, sharing frustration with the legislature’s lack of planning for voting methods for the upcoming fall election. She noted that commercially printed ballots can be supplemented, and that ink-poll-print BODs (ballot-on-demand printers) print directly from check-in stations, ensuring voters get the correct precinct style. She suggested potential savings from skipping testing, transporting, and setting up ballot marking devices (BMDs), keeping only one accessible unit per polling place.
Discussion Items
- Precinct Return Review: The director presented a report required by State Election Board Rule 183-1-12-point-one-two. The department compiled a list of all voters who voted in the election, sorted by precinct and voting method (absentee, in-person on election day, and validated provisional ballots), and counted unique voter IDs. The report showed an unofficial and incomplete comparison of ballots tabulated versus unique voter registration numbers credited by precinct and counting group. No discrepancies were found.
- Board Comments: Board members had no questions or comments on the review. Chair Swift clarified that no motion or action was needed—the meeting was solely for review purposes.
Key Outcomes
- No action taken: The board completed the required precinct return review and will proceed to the certification meeting scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2026, at noon.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following a motion and second, with all in favor.
- Other: The board sang "Happy Birthday" to Director Smith (whose birthday is April 9, 2026).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to today's pre-certification meeting. Um, this is pre-certification for these the special election that occurred on Tuesday. Uh are there any public comments? Oh, sorry, roll call. I apologize. Madam Chair and members of the board, we're not call your name. Please indicate your present. Vice Chair Vasu Apa Robbin. Unfortunately, here. Board member Travis Baldwin. Glad to be here. Member Geldley. Here. Member Dele Lohman. Chair Carly Swift. Here. Madam Chair, you have a quorum. Thank you. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. I'll oh thank you. All in favor. Um, okay. Uh do we have public comments? Madam Chair, there has been no submission for public comment and no sign-ups for public. Oh problem. Madam Chair, we have one member for public comment. Let me get the sign-in sheet. What's your name? Liz Truth. Liz True. Thank you. Oh, so you have your the little just so we have it on the record. Although, Liz, I know that you know the rules, but for the public who may be watching for the first time. Public comments may be made in person or submitted by sending an email to a one printed page or less at a minimum of 12 point font to elections public comment at DeCab County GA.gov, which must be received between 35 and five minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting. The body of your email must include the first and last name. By submitting an email for public comment, you agree to have your name and email broadcast on the Ustream and enter into the record. All public comments will be limited to two minutes. Abusive, profane or derogatory language, holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing or laying in the aisles to show support for or opposition to a speaker will not be permitted. But a show of hands or quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position. Madam Chair, we have one member for public, one resident for public comment. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm Liz Troop. Um it's good to be with people who, regardless of political persuasion, surely share my frustration with the legislators, legislatures, lack of a plan for voting methods this fall. Commercially printed ballots can be supplemented. And no ink poll pet no ink poll print BODs seem to print directly from the check-in station, ensuring voters can get the exact precinct style that they need. But many could be offset by really significant savings from skipping the testing, transporting, and setting up of BMDs by leaving most of them in the warehouse. Except for an accessible unit in each polling place.12, requiring the board of registration and elections to hold this meeting for the limited purpose of conducting a review of precinct returns, where for each precinct, the board shall compare the total number of ballots cast to the total number of unique voter ID numbers.
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