DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections Meeting - October 8, 2026

The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections convened its regularly scheduled meeting on October 8, 2026, at 9:30 AM. The board addressed a voter registration challenge, received an operational update from Director Keisha Smith, and discussed election security and preparation for the upcoming November election. A significant debate occurred over a motion to amend the agenda, which ultimately failed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michael Beach (Poll Manager): Commended the office for poll worker training. Criticized the requirement for check-in clerks to call a manager for every problem and expressed strong opposition to a new State Election Board (SEB) rule requiring a handwritten sequential numbered list of voters, describing it as unnecessary, stress-inducing, and a potential privacy violation.
• James Edmondson: Commented on the SEB's role and noted that federal law prevents DOJ agents from entering polling places without approval from local officials.
• Betsy Shackleford: Praised the board's work and leadership, calling it patriotic, and praised the recent poll worker training as the best in 10 years.
• Rob Boyle (First meeting attendee): Expressed concern that the board voted down an agenda amendment without discussion, stating he felt all topics should be heard. Recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Kendra Bogowski (Chair, DeKalb County Republican Party): Thanked staff for a joint party meeting and transparency. Stated that a board member of the minority party should not struggle to get items on the agenda (referencing Travis Bowden). Informed the board of upcoming get-out-the-vote events that could cause long lines and urged enforcement of 150-foot campaigning rules.
• John Salvison (Candidate for U.S. House, 5th District): Thanked the board for their work amidst confusion from the state level and urged them to work together and avoid division.
• Janet Grant (Area Poll Manager): Expressed support for a court decision allowing voters to return absentee ballots at any early voting site and thanked DeKalb for using this option. Echoed concerns from training about the SEB's new handwritten list rule adding stress, time, and errors for poll workers.
• Joy Wasson (DeKalb Voter): Asked the board to publicly post poll tapes from advanced voting for transparency (citing a proposal by Scrutineers). Urged board members to ask the SEB to rescind a resolution authorizing its executive director.
• Bethan Frullman (Voter Access Advocate): Emphasized focusing on making voting easy for eligible voters rather than removing people from the rolls.

Discussion Items

• Voter Registration Challenge (Jeremiah Bell): The board heard a challenge from James Edmondson, a veteran who has lived at his address since 1971. He stated that Jeremiah Bell registered to vote using Mr. Edmondson's address (4592 Mercer Road). Director Smith reported that Bell's original registration (via DDS in 2024) listed 4599 Mercer Road, directly across the street, and a handwritten form changed the address to 4592. Bell has not voted in DeKalb County. The board deliberated on the burden of proof, the risk of disenfranchising a valid voter, and the implications of a potential scrivener's error.
• Director's Report: Director Smith presented registration statistics (577,209 total as of Oct 8; 1,807 applications left to process), absentee ballot numbers (9,843 issued, 46% of 2022 levels and 37% of 2024 levels), and updates on Logic & Accuracy Testing (expected to complete Oct 10). Budget updates and a new advertising campaign ("DeKalbVotes.com") were highlighted.
• SEB Handwritten List Rule: Deputy Director Dr. Jesse Harris detailed the training and procedure for the new SEB rule requiring a handwritten sequential list in addition to the electronic poll pad.
• Risk Limiting Audit: The board was informed of the upcoming audit scheduled for November 13-18, with 100 teams of two, tentatively planned at the Toby Grant Recreation Center.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda Amendment Rejected: A motion by board member Travis Bowden to add three items (groups organizing to vote at polling locations, non-citizens on voter rolls, DOJ record preservation directive) to the agenda failed. The original agenda was then approved.
• Voter Challenge Denied: The board voted to reject the 21-2-229 challenge against Jeremiah Bell, finding the challenger failed to meet the burden of proving the voter was not qualified to remain on the roll.
• Investigation Ordered: A motion by Gail Lee directing the VRE office to investigate the residency of the challenge voter at the 4599 address and consider a future 21-2-228 hearing was approved.
• Resend Notices Ordered: A motion by Dale Lohman directing the department to immediately resend voter registration notices to both addresses (4592 and 4599) to initiate the return mail process and the inactive voter clock was approved.
• Voter File Processing: Staff confirmed all eligible, timely-filed voter registrations will be processed before early voting begins on Monday, October 13.
• Logic & Accuracy Testing: The testing for all equipment (touch screens, scanners, poll pads, hubs) is expected to be completed by Friday, October 10.