A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Wilkes County Election Department in Georgia on October 29, 2024. The request, made by East Central Georgia News, seeks detailed information about the methods being used to count votes in the upcoming election.
In the interest of transparency and public accountability, we at East Central Georgia News are seeking to understand how votes will be counted in Wilkes County. Specifically, we have requested a list of methods they are using to count votes. If manual counting is being employed, we have also asked for an estimated number of people who will be working on election night.
As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to such public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. This includes holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We believe that as members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals under the Georgia Open Records Act § 50.18.70 et seq.
The Wilkes County Election Department has yet to respond to our request. We will continue our efforts to ensure that the voting process is transparent and fair for all residents of Wilkes County.
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