Georgia will begin a hand recount of the 2020 presidential election results, Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Wednesday.
President-elect Joe Biden currently leads President Donald Trump by 14,000 votes in the race after overtaking Trump’s early lead after Election Day. The Trump campaign has leveled numerous accusations of voter fraud against Democrats in Georgia and other battleground states. Raffensperger said the recount will begin Wednesday.
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s secretary of state has announced a full hand recount of the presidential race; Biden leads by about 14,000.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) November 11, 2020
Trump’s campaign sent out a statement to supporters Tuesday alleging at least four deceased Georgians had been found on the 2020 voter rolls. The campaign named Deborah Jean Christiansen of Roswell, Georgia; James Blalock of Covington, Georgia; Linda Kesler of Nicholson, Georgia, and Edward Skwiot of Trenton, Georgia. The campaign linked to obituaries listing the four individuals as deceased in 2019, 2006, 2003 and 2015 respectively.
The campaign says each was found on the 2020 voter rolls, but provided no evidence that was the case. (RELATED: Trump Campaign Is Filing Another Election Lawsuit In Michigan — Seeks To Delay Certification Over More Claims Of ‘Unequal Treatment’)
Raffensperger has become a divisive figure within the Republican Party in Georgia, with Republican Senate candidates Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Sen. David Purdue calling for his resignation over his handling of their races.
“There have been too many failures in Georgia elections this year and the most recent election has shined a national light on the problems,” Loeffler and Perdue said in a joint statement. “The Secretary of State has failed to deliver honest and transparent elections. He has failed the people of Georgia, and he should step down immediately.”
Raffensperger responded Tuesday with a refusal to resign.
Statement from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger pic.twitter.com/Sf1JIWH5qg
— GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (@GaSecofState) November 9, 2020