State officials investigating handling of Peach elections

Georgia’s top elections office is looking into complaints that Peach County election officials may have mishandled absentee ballots cast for the May 24 election.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office heard inquiries from the community, said Candice Broce, an office spokeswoman, via e-mail. The office then opened a formal investigation on Wednesday.

The Peach County elections office, led by interim supervisor Marsha Gosier, has not received any information about an investigation and has no comment, according to a clerk there.

County Attorney Jeff Liipfert said, “I have no knowledge of what you’re talking about” when when reached by phone about the probe.

The state does not have a time frame for finishing the investigation, but once it is done, investigators will present a recommendation to the State Election Board. Investigators can recommend that the board dismiss the allegations, that it issue a letter of instruction, or that it bind the case over to the state attorney general’s office.

In previous cases in which the board has recommended legal action, the attorney general has entered into agreements that have seen counties pay fines or agree to new procedures to make sure elections are handled properly.

In 2015, the state opened investigations into an allegation that Gosier was calling voters and campaigning against a proposed education tax on the ballot. That case is still open.

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 11:46 AM with the headline "State officials investigating handling of Peach elections."