Georgia Governor Faces New Pressure Over Far-Right Elections Board Takeover

Good evening! This election is a contest for votes — but there are also battles brewing over how those votes will be counted. Tonight, we’re looking at three stories about democracy and the fight over election integrity — beginning with some news from my colleague Nick Corasaniti . — Jess Bidgood

Georgia has long been a battleground in the fight over the country’s democratic institutions. This year, it is shaping up to be just as critical.

Earlier this year, a new majority of far-right Republicans gained control of Georgia’s State Election Board. The votes taken since have prompted deep concern that the board is rewriting the rules of the game in a key swing state to disrupt certification of elections and favor former President Donald Trump.

Now, a bipartisan effort to pressure the governor to investigate the three-person majority is ramping up.

Democrats, voting rights groups and some Republicans are pressing Gov. Brian Kemp to rein in what they see as a rogue board increasingly aligned with the far-right wing of the Republican Party.

The effort is anchored by a new targeted television ad campaign by Fair Fight, the voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams. The ad buy is small, just $50,000, and the commercial will run in Atlanta on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News with the goal of encouraging Georgians to flood the governor’s phone lines. We got an early look at the ad, which can be seen here.

“Brian Kemp could shut it down to make sure our elections are independent,” a deep-voiced narrator proclaims in the ad. He instructs voters to “call Kemp” and tell him to “remove these MAGA extremists from power.”