During the recent primary elections, false information was spread about the Republican Party’s upcoming hand count. Claims were made that the hand count would cost taxpayers $400,000. This is total fabrication! Here are the facts:
- Primary elections are run by the Republican and Democrat Parties with assistance from the County Staff.
- All decisions were made by the County Executive Committees (CEC).
- Several CEC members asked Rich Paces to speak about election integrity and hand counting options at the November CEC meeting.
- The Republican CEC ultimately made the decision to hand count their Runoff Election Day ballots.
- The Secretary of State (SOS) will reimburse the Republican Party for all reasonable election costs including those associated with hand counting the runoff Election Day ballots.
- The incremental cost to hand count the Republican primary runoff election day ballots is under $4,000.
- Only 55 people are required to hand count in under 5 hrs.
- 120 volunteers have been trained, and many will accept payment and donate it to the Republican Party.
- Costs not reimbursed by the SOS will be borne by the Republican Party, NOT county taxpayers.
- Rich Paces told CEC members that he will pay any hand count costs not reimbursed by the SOS.
- The objective is to prove that “echo” hand counting is easy, accurate (self-correcting), transparent and a viable alternative to machines that can be easily manipulated to alter results.
- Germany, Norway, Netherlands, France, Denmark, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Argentina, Taiwan, and others protect the integrity and trust of elections with public hand counting of paper ballots.
Why would anyone oppose efforts to secure elections? Over 85% of all US citizens support the Save America Act and securing our elections. Ask your senators to vote for the Save America Act!