Favorito’s crusade for hand-counted ballots
Garland Favorito, a veteran election integrity activist and co-founder of VoterGA, has been traveling across Georgia to spread his message that the state’s current electronic voting system is unreliable, insecure, and prone to fraud. He is urging Republicans to demand a special session of the Georgia General Assembly to replace the Dominion voting machines with hand-counted paper ballots before the 2023 general election.
Favorito, a retired IT specialist and resident of Roswell, Ga., has been a vocal critic of Georgia’s voting system for years, even before the controversial 2020 presidential election that saw Joe Biden narrowly defeat Donald Trump in the state. He has filed lawsuits challenging the validity of the election results and alleging irregularities and anomalies in the vote counting process. He has also testified before state lawmakers and conducted audits and investigations into the voting machines and software.
Favorito believes that hand-counted paper ballots are the only way to ensure a fair and accurate election, as they provide a tangible and verifiable record of each voter’s choice. He claims that electronic voting machines are vulnerable to hacking, manipulation, and errors, and that they lack transparency and accountability. He also argues that paper ballots are cheaper, faster, and more accessible than electronic voting machines.
Bryan County Republicans’ response
On Saturday, August 12, 2023, Favorito addressed a meeting of the Bryan County Republican Party at the Ft. McAllister State Park in Richmond Hill, Ga. He presented his case for paper ballots to nearly a hundred Republicans from Bryan County and neighboring counties, who listened attentively and asked questions.
Many of the attendees expressed support for Favorito’s proposal and shared his distrust of the electronic voting system. They also voiced their frustration with Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who have defended the integrity of the 2020 election and resisted calls for a special session to change the voting system. Some of the attendees said they would contact their state representatives and senators to pressure them to convene a special session and adopt paper ballots.
However, not everyone was convinced by Favorito’s arguments. Some of the attendees raised concerns about the logistics, feasibility, and security of hand-counting millions of paper ballots in a state with diverse and populous counties. They also questioned whether paper ballots would prevent fraud or human error, or whether they would create new problems or challenges. They asked Favorito how he would address these issues and ensure a smooth transition to paper ballots.
The stakes for 2023
The debate over Georgia’s voting system comes as the state prepares for a high-stakes election in 2023, which will feature a rematch between Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams for governor, as well as competitive races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and other statewide and local offices. Georgia is considered a toss-up state that could decide the outcome of the presidential election, as well as the balance of power in Congress.
The outcome of the 2023 election could also depend on how many Republicans turn out to vote, especially after some Trump supporters boycotted or skipped the 2021 runoff elections that resulted in Democrats winning both U.S. Senate seats from Georgia. Some Republicans have lost faith in the electoral system and believe that their votes do not count or matter. Others have become disillusioned or disenchanted with the Republican Party and its leaders, who have been divided over Trump’s claims of election fraud and his influence over the party.
Favorito hopes that his campaign for paper ballots will restore confidence and enthusiasm among Republican voters and motivate them to participate in the 2023 election. He also hopes that his campaign will inspire other states to follow Georgia’s example and adopt paper ballots as well. He believes that paper ballots are not only a matter of election integrity, but also a matter of democracy and sovereignty.
