A missed memory card flips a Georgia House race and could shrink Democrats' new majority
Seminole County never uploaded 388 Election Day votes. Counting them put Republican Gerald Greene ahead by 262.
A memory card holding 388 Election Day votes in Seminole County, Georgia, was never uploaded to the county's election system, and counting it flipped the unofficial result of a state House race, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office said Friday. Raffensperger, a Republican, has opened an investigation.
Before the upload, Democrat Harry James held a slight lead over Republican Rep. Gerald Greene in House District 154, CBS News Atlanta reported. With the missing votes added, Greene leads by 262 votes.
How it was caught
During routine post-election checks, the secretary of state's office found about 388 more voters recorded as checked in at Seminole County polling places on Tuesday than ballots the county reported as cast. The office alerted county officials, and the Seminole County Board of Elections found a memory card that had never been uploaded to its election management system, CBS reported.
"Every vote matters, and in a close election, even a relatively small number of unreported ballots can change the outcome," Raffensperger said. He said the state's safeguards worked as designed and called the change in the outcome "unacceptable." His office will examine whether proper procedures were followed, how the card was overlooked and what changes could prevent a repeat.
What's at stake
Democrats won a slim majority in the Georgia House this week for the first time in 22 years, Democracy Docket reported. If Greene's lead holds, that majority could shrink to a single seat, according to the outlet.
The coverage reviewed includes no statement from James, Greene or Seminole County officials, and neither outlet reported whether either candidate plans to seek a recount.
What's next
Seminole County must certify its results by Monday, Nov. 9. The secretary of state's investigation into the missed upload is ongoing.
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