A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Jefferson County Election Department in Georgia on October 29, 2024. The request, made by East Central Georgia News, sought information about the methods used by the department to count votes.
The request specifically asked for a list of methods employed by the department for vote counting. If any of these methods included manual counting, the department was also asked to provide an estimated number of people who would be working on election night.
As part of our commitment at East Central Georgia News to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe that access to public records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
In line with this mission, we requested a fee waiver as a media professional under the Georgia Open Records Act § 50.18.70 et seq., citing our role in gathering and disseminating information to the public.
We await a response from the Jefferson County Election Department and will continue to keep our readers informed about this and other matters related to local government operations.