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July 3, 2024
Coffee County Voters,
We at the Coalition for Good Governance have heard significant discussions within the Coffee community regarding the potentially improper efforts by the Coffee County Board of Commissioners to reconstitute the Coffee County Board of Elections. Based on what we are hearing, it appears that County Commissioners may be attempting to push out the current election board chairman, Andy Thomas, well before the end of his term, December 31, 2024. While we do not have official confirmation of this, it is deeply concerning, and we want to share our concern with you.
Obstructing Independent Investigation Efforts
It is important to note that Chairman Thomas has been leading the recent effort to initiate an independent investigation into the January 2021 voting system software breaches which occurred at the Coffee County Elections Office. This investigation aims to identify the controls that failed permitting the largest voting system breach in the nation’s history, and to ensure there is a secure system for the upcoming November election and beyond. Only after Chairman Thomas began advocating for this independent investigation did the commissioners apparently attempt to remove him.
Chairman Thomas placed his proposal for an investigation on the June Election Board meeting agenda which seemed to have the support of some other board members. After some discussion, the issue was deferred to the July 9 meeting for a vote. It is important to note that previous board chair Wendell Stone (who resigned in October 2023), opposed any independent counsel investigation and was not transparent about the breaches during his tenure.
There are unsettling conversations that Chairman Thomas is being pressured to resign by the county commissioners, not due to any wrongdoing, but potentially because of his desire for an independent investigation.
Behind Closed Doors Scheming?
We have heard reports that the Board of County Commissioners recently held an improper closed-door “executive session” to discuss replacing Chairman Thomas. We believe they have no legal authority to do so, as the law provides that commissioners do not have the power to appoint anyone to fill vacancies until January. Also, the independent Board of Elections is responsible for voting for its own chair and vice-chair, not the commissioners. Such actions, if true, are a clear overreach of power and a threat to the integrity of Coffee County’s election processes.
It is crucial in American elections to have an election board completely independent from control of local elected officials such as the commissioners. This independence ensures that elections are conducted free from undue influence or conflicts of interest. An independent board can make unbiased decisions that uphold the integrity of the electoral process, fostering public trust and confidence in the outcomes.
Demanding Transparency
We urge you to speak directly with your county commissioner to learn whether these reports are true and to ask for their basis for wanting Chairman Thomas to resign. Insist that the commissioners support all efforts for an independent investigation into the voting system breaches.
It is crucial to ask why there seems to be a concerted effort to avoid an independent investigation. Could it be that the commissioners fear the exposure of damning evidence? It has been over three years since the largest voting system breach in our nation's history, and Coffee County voters still lack answers. The ongoing lack of transparency and accountability is unacceptable.
We also urge you to attend the upcoming Coffee County Board of Elections meeting on July 9th at 9:30 AM at the election board office, which is located at 321 S. Pearl Ave. in Douglas. Your presence is vital to ensure that the Board is encouraged to act independently and commits to a thorough investigation. This is an opportunity for Coffee County voters to demand the transparency and accountability that has been sorely lacking.
For more information, please visit the Coffee Voters Election News: C-VEN Facebook page. where we have posted links to past communications regarding these issues. It is time to make our voices heard and insist on transparency from both the Board of Elections and the Board of County Commissioners.
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