Good afternoon, everyone.
We thought about doing that
about 7:00 o'clock this morning,
but we figured you like more
than two hours of sleep, but.
We just wanted to give you a little bit
of update and some more information.
We had a beautiful day yesterday in Georgia
and it's a beautiful day here again.
It was just a very successful Election Day.
We saw Georgians from all over the
story state cast their ballots
to make their voice heard.
It's still a wonderful thing,
this boat, this democracy,
this Republic.
I still stand in awe of what
we saw and what our forefathers
have built on this nation,
something so unique in human history,
it's truly divinely inspired.
That said, it takes
people. Lots of people,
very hard working people to make it happen.
So I want to give credit first to
our elections team here in my office.
That is led by our director Blake Evans,
the deputy director Doctor Jesse
Harris and Michael Barnes,
our director of the Center for Elections.
There their team has done amazing work
and they worked with the greatest county
election teams that I think our nation
has to do the tough on the ground
work of running polling locations,
processing voters and counting the votes.
And Speaking of processing voters.
We had an average speed of
processing voters at the polls.
That was simply amazing.
We saw processing speeds of 48 seconds and
it actually, it actually dipped down
to 47 seconds for a few moments.
It was that kind of processing speed that
led to two-minute average wait times,
you know, across the state.
I have a screenshot of anyone
wants to see it later.
I read online that there was a person
who wanted to test our line warming law.
So he loaded his car with boxes and cases of
bottled water to give the voters in line.
So he started driving around and his
problem was he couldn't find any lines.
And so he even said in the article,
quote, the system is running so smoothly
today that no one's lined up in the sun.
So that is tremendous to see that
kind of responsive.
And good results that we had at the
county level and I know all of you are
probably voters also and you probably
had that same fantastic experience
and the credit for that goes to the
counties and it goes to the voters.
The voters took record advantage
of pre Election Day voting.
They had shattered the records for
both absentee by mail and early
in person voting in a midterm.
And we have seen that the county's
almost fully complete the county,
and it's only a little after 2:00
PM on Wednesday.
We see less than 10,000 voters to
potentially be added to the count.
Outside of the handful of votes
that can be accepted by Monday,
November 14th,
most of the races have a clear winner.
In fact, be when and I spoke last
night and she graciously,
graciously conceded.
And I thank her for that.
That's the way it's supposed to be.
We need all candidates who come up
short to acknowledge it and to come
back and fight within our system another day.
If that's their so choice.
There is one race in our state
that is going to be moving to the
December 6th runoff.
That is the race for the
United States Senate.
Between Senator Raphael
Warnock and Herschel Walker.
Our office has already begun the behind
scenes work to start building the ballots,
so ballots are being built as we speak
and counties are making preparations.
So some specifics for the process.
Voters can request absentee ballots
now through Monday, November 28th.
There are about 150,000 voters who will
receive an absentee ballot because they
are on our absentee ballot rollover list.
These people are the 65 or they're disabled.
Our absentee ballot request
portal is now open.
Early voting must begin no later than Monday,
November 28th in all counties.
We do participate that some counties
are may likely have Saturday voting
following Thanksgiving as well.
Also on November 26th.
We are working with the counties to
find out what their plans are on this
front and as soon as possible so that
their voters can make the best plans.
This will be a very heavy lift
for our counties because it's
a four week runoff period,
but I have confidence that they will take all
the measures required to rise to the task.
While we are working preparing for the
runoff, we all have our obligation to
close out the November 8th election.
Counties must certify by Tuesday,
November 15th by fifth by 5:00 PM.
Then we move to the risk limiting audit.
We will quote roll the dice, so to speak,
on Wednesday, November 16th.
Then the audit must be complete
by November 22nd and the state
must certify by Friday the 25th.
That's the day after Thanksgiving.
It's a lot of work,
but that's how the machinery of
our Democratic Republic works.
We welcome it because we know at the
end of the day everyone wants to know.
That we have honest and fair elections,
and we do.
I ask the voters to come out
and vote one last time.
We have no control over how many
campaign ads our voters are going
to see over the next 30 days,
but we'll make sure that we
have honest and fair elections.
I want to thank the voters.
I want to thank you for
your strong participation.
I want to thank you for just being so
friendly and really working with the system.
We only had seven precincts out of
2700 that didn't finish yesterday.
Had to extend past, you know,
set the 7:00 PM deadline.
I want to thank the election workers.
They worked long days yesterday and
they'll be working some long days ahead.
I want to thank the poll workers and
I want to thank all of their families
who support them and a special
thank you to our team. Thank you.
And I will take your questions.
Yes,
ma'am.
Ask you what respect to that
Senate race ethnicity put
out that street last night,
saying seem to say that there
will be a runoff you think
you've got ahead of the process.
No, we kind of knew where it was
headed and we wanted to make sure
that it was what it was going to be.
And right now we're down under
10,000 votes and we look at how
many this person has and add 10,
all 10,000 to it, they wouldn't have
50% likewise on the other side.
And so that's why we're, you know,
tell you that there will be
a runoff and that's why we,
we started building ballots this morning.
Older than possible, business
schools instead. So the doctor.
Voters have their free will
choice to vote all three methods,
no excuse, absentee voting.
And if they want to get your request in soon,
then we're going to have early voting.
It'll be an abbreviated schedule.
It'll be that five days plus,
most likely a Saturday.
And some counties will do a Sunday.
That's their choice.
Or on Election Day,
which is Tuesday, December 6th,
you know we give voters options in Georgia.
They get to choose which one they like best.
All they have it is what it is and
we have a four week runoff period.
And so I know that the candidates
we're working on that and that's why
we're working today building balance.
Run off Timeline, does that
make this election higher?
What we've shown is our team and
the counties have shown that they
can perform at the highest level,
and I'll even go so far.
I know every Secretary of State takes
pride in what their election office says.
But when I was in our war room yesterday
looking at all the innovations and
improvements our team has made,
I look at the work that our county have made.
That's why Heritage has recognized
Georgia number one for election
integrity on the right side,
and that's why on the left side.
The Center for Election Innovation
Research has recognized Georgia
number one for voter accessibility.
I would stack up Georgia against
any state in the Union.
I think our team is the best
and I put it up against anyone.
I think it's as good as the Bulldogs.