STAFF REPORT :::
The Urban Outreach Association (UOA), a self-described non-partisan civil rights organization, is calling for the resignation of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after Raffensperger on Tuesday called for the resignation of Spalding County Election Supervisor Marcia Ridley.
In a press release issued Tuesday afternoon, Raffensperger stated that he and the Spalding County legislative delegation comprised of Sen. Marty Harbin, Rep. Karen Mathiak and Rep. David Knight are seeking Ridley’s resignation based on actions associated with the Nov. 3 general election.
Raffensperger’s release stated in part that Spalding County voters “faced mismanagement and poor decision-making that put the integrity of their votes at risk.”
He later separately alleged that on Election Day, Ridley “violated established election process and possibly Georgia law,” and “greatly harmed election integrity in Georgia and provided talking points for those looking to undermine elections in the Peach State.”
UOA President and CEO Reginald Watts said the allegations against Ridley are false and motivated by race.
“Secretary Raffensperger is relying upon false allegations of mismanagement from the Spalding County Republican Legislative Delegation of Sen. Marty Harbin, Rep. David Knight and Rep. Karen Mathiak in an attempt to remove our county’s first African-American (sic) election’s director,” Watts said. “In a county that voted 65% for President Trump in an unprecedented turnout, it is suspicious that the GA Secretary of State would target Ms. Ridley. Since her arrival, our voter registration and participation rates have consistently increased especially among minority voters. It is apparent that race is a motivating factor behind these decisions.”
Also noted in a UOA press release is the Election Day lawsuit filed by Mathiak and Knight that resulted in polls remaining open an additional two hours.
Dexter Wimbush, UOA general counsel and consultant to the Spalding County Board of Elections, said a request to investigate Mathiak’s and Knight’s lawsuit was made to the Secretary of State and Attorney General offices.
“The board of elections requested the GA Secretary of State and the Georgia Attorney General to review the order because there was never legal service in the matter. Knight and Mathiak through their attorneys contacted the Spalding County Attorney but he refused to accept service,” Wimbush said. “Elections Director Ridley was never served with the complaint nor subpoenaed to testify. If this order were invalid due to lack of service, any vote cast after 7pm on election day would have to be thrown out. According to the election day results most of those ballots were cast for Republican candidates. The request for an investigation was acknowledged on November 12, 2020 but the board has not received a response. There is something else going on here.”
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