DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections Meeting - September 10, 2026

The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections held a regular meeting on September 10, 2026, at 9:30 AM. The meeting included approval of minutes, extensive public comment focusing on a Pledge of Allegiance controversy from the previous meeting, a director's report on election preparations, and board member comments. The meeting was briefly adjourned due to a disruption during public comment and then reconvened.

Consent Calendar

• The board unanimously approved the August 3 regular meeting minutes, August 28 special call meeting minutes, and August 31 special call meeting minutes.
• The meeting agenda was also approved by unanimous voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cheryl Dudley: Urged the board to protect voting rights from ICE and referenced historical anti-Klan laws; expressed confidence in the board's planning for free and fair elections.
• Liz Shroop: Thanked the board for staying focused on election business and opposed adding items like the Pledge of Allegiance, calling them divisive and a distraction.
• William Freeman (DeKalb resident, veteran, candidate for State House 88): Asked the board to correct the August 31 record regarding Real ID not being proof of citizenship; supported the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Dr. Kendra Bogowski (Chair, DeKalb County Republican Party): Objected to a statement by Member Lohman that the special session was to "take voting representation away from black people," noting that 80% of DeKalb Republican candidates on the November ballot are Black. Asked for the record to be corrected and for unbiased election administration.
• Dr. Angazero Brazer (Republican candidate for Senate District 44): Disagreed with Member Lohman's comments; requested the Pledge be placed on the agenda and a clean election.
• Andrea Smith (candidate for DeKalb County Commission District 3): Supported beginning meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance, citing public service to the nation.
• Earl Ferguson (Fulton County resident, retired military): Disagreed with the objection to the Pledge but affirmed the objector's right to free speech; requested the board reconsider its decision.
• Jan Appling (sixth-generation DeKalb native): Asked that the board stand and recite the Pledge; her comment was cut short as the chair called for adjournment due to disruption.
• Janet Grant (area poll manager): Thanked the department for securing additional early voting locations and for bipartisan collaboration; also urged support for an amicus brief on mail-in ballots.
• Jim Duffy (DeKalb resident since 1948, Navy veteran): Argued that Democrat members' remarks at the August 31 meeting disqualify them from the board; called for their resignation.
• Bill Henderson: Sang the national anthem and suggested placing a flag in the room.
• John Arnold (poll assistant manager): Expressed concern about trust in the board after August 31 comments; questioned board members' allegiances.
• Nancy Arnold (DeKalb resident): Stated that the August 31 meeting proved the board is not nonpartisan; called for impartial election administration.
• State Representative Ray Martinez (District 111): Challenged the claim that the special session took representation from Black people; asked for an explanation.
• Catherine Gaunt (poll worker): Expressed faith in the board's ability to oversee elections; argued that patriotic symbols do not define patriotism.
• Beth Ann Freelan: Supported the board's decision not to add the Pledge; thanked the department for early voting sites; clarified that voter ID is for identity, not citizenship proof.

Discussion Items

• Director's Report (Director Smith):
  • Total registered voters: 576,004 (active 505,700, inactive 70,304).
  • Outstanding applications to process: 8,081 (mostly from DDS). Department will extend hours to clear backlog.
  • Post-election audits showed no discrepancies.
  • Ballot proofing underway; logic and accuracy testing begins September 21.
  • Absentee applications received: 2,488 (down from prior cycles).
  • Early voting period: October 13–30, with two additional sites—Live and Grace and Wade Walker YMCA—added for the final week, bringing total to 22 sites, the highest under current leadership.
  • "Registered and Ready" event on September 26.
  • Budget update: $6,652,238.47 spent as of August 31; $7,963,295.10 remaining. An additional $26,000 was moved for equipment rental (quad mail machine) due to breakdowns; contract will end December 15.
• Board questions/comments:
  • Member Lee noted density of early voting sites in one area (Bessie Branham) and questioned funding; Director Smith explained the quad mail situation.
  • Member Abarahan praised the addition of sites and emphasized the importance of processing voter registrations and maximizing early voting.
  • Chair Swift clarified that multiple sites in urban areas are due to density and city boundaries; the board has a budget to support them.

Key Outcomes

• The board acknowledged the addition of two new early voting locations (Live and Grace, Wade Walker YMCA) for the final week of early voting; the chair stated the board would move forward with these locations.
• No further action was taken on the Pledge of Allegiance; the issue was discussed extensively in board comments.
• The board did not go into executive session.
• The meeting was briefly adjourned after a public commenter (Jan Appling) exceeded time, then reconvened to complete the agenda.
• The meeting adjourned on a motion.