Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has launched a bipartisan election integrity task force, aiming to bolster voter confidence and address ongoing concerns about election security as the state prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.

Explainer Election Integrity in America: Safeguarding Voter Trust and Ballot Security

The creation of the task force comes at a time when Georgia’s election system remains under close scrutiny. State officials are seeking to reassure voters following recent investigations and persistent doubts about the integrity of past election processes, particularly those surrounding the 2020 presidential election. The move is part of a broader effort to restore and maintain public trust in the state’s electoral system.

The task force was officially announced on Wednesday. It brings together a diverse group of former elected officials from both major political parties, experienced county election workers, and recognized election experts. Notable members include former Democratic Governor Roy Barnes, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, former Republican U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, and former Republican U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson. Nancy Boren, Muscogee County Elections Director, is among the county officials appointed to the panel, ensuring that local election administration experience is represented.

Task Force Membership and Role

Raffensperger, a Republican, emphasized that the group was selected for its credibility and bipartisan makeup. “This group here, they’re well-respected members of the community. They’re on both sides of the aisle, but they are also recognized as being fair brokers of the truth,” he told the Georgia Recorder. The inclusion of high-profile figures from both parties is intended to demonstrate a unified commitment to election integrity and to foster cooperation across political lines.

According to Raffensperger’s office, the task force will focus on several key areas. These include voter list maintenance, enhancing public transparency, combating election misinformation, promoting best practices for election administration, and ensuring county compliance with existing election laws and standards. Members are expected to play an active role by assisting with regional election worker trainings, participating in roundtable policy discussions, and coordinating closely with local election officials throughout the state.

Mike Hassinger, public information coordinator for Raffensperger, described the task force as part of the secretary’s ongoing efforts to ensure secure and trustworthy elections in Georgia. “Secretary Raffensperger has spent his two terms making sure that the state of Georgia has the most secure elections in America, and he intends to keep it that way through the remainder of his time in office,” Hassinger told the Daily Signal.

Addressing Election Concerns

The announcement of the task force follows recent news of an FBI investigation into 708 records from Fulton County’s 2020 election files. This investigation has contributed to ongoing debate and skepticism about the state’s election processes. While Raffensperger and the newly formed task force aim to reinforce trust in the system, some critics remain unconvinced.

Mark Davis, president of Data Productions Inc. and a member of the Georgia Republican Party’s Election Confidence Task Force, has been vocal about his concerns regarding the integrity of past elections. Davis said his analysis of the 2020 election uncovered what he described as “thousands of residency violations” and evidence of “systemic irregularities” in the data. He has argued that these findings point to significant issues with the state’s election system.

“About a minute later, I suddenly found myself staring at what I knew to be evidence of systemic irregularities in that election—data suggesting we’d had tens of thousands of residency violations as well as felony violations of other state and federal election laws.”

— Mark Davis, president of Data Productions Inc.

Despite such criticisms, Raffensperger has consistently maintained that Georgia’s election standards are among the strongest in the nation. He has positioned the new task force as a way to further strengthen public confidence and ensure that every legal vote is counted and protected. The secretary has also highlighted Georgia’s election laws, which include voter ID requirements and post-election audits, as examples of best practices for other states to follow.

Broader Context and Next Steps

The establishment of the election integrity task force comes as Georgia continues to be a focal point in national debates over election security and voter trust. Since the contentious 2020 presidential election, the state has faced heightened scrutiny from both political parties and from advocacy groups concerned about both access to the ballot and the security of the voting process.

Raffensperger has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence in the outcome of statewide elections and countering misinformation that can undermine the democratic process. The new task force is expected to play a key role in these efforts by providing guidance, supporting local election officials, and engaging with the public to address concerns.

In the coming months, the task force will begin its work with regional trainings for election workers and policy discussions designed to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the system. Members from both parties will participate in these efforts, with the goal of supporting local election officials and ensuring that Georgia’s elections remain secure, transparent, and accessible.

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the task force’s activities will be closely watched by voters, officials, and observers across the state and the nation. The group’s work is expected to influence not only the administration of upcoming elections in Georgia but also broader conversations about election integrity and public trust in the democratic process.