Burt Jones Demands Raffensperger Testify, Revives 2020 Ballot Claims in GOP Primary Push

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican candidate for governor, has renewed his attacks on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over the 2020 presidential election — this time using his legislative influence to force scrutiny of Raffensperger’s office.

Ethics Hearing and the 315,000 Ballot Claim

Jones demanded that Raffensperger appear before the state Senate Ethics Committee so critics can question him about a widely circulated claim that 315,000 Fulton County ballots were improperly certified in 2020. County officials and election experts say that characterization is inaccurate: the issue involved unsigned tabulator tapes from early in-person voting, not unsigned ballots, and was described by county and outside legal experts as a clerical error that did not affect vote totals or change the election outcome.

DOJ Request for Voter Records and Privacy Concerns

Compounding the confrontation, a Republican state senator filed a resolution urging Raffensperger to comply with a U.S. Department of Justice request for statewide voter data that includes names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. Raffensperger’s office says releasing those records would violate Georgia law and threaten voter privacy; Georgia is one of 23 states the DOJ has sued for access to similar data. Raffensperger’s office filed a motion to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit and has said it provided the voter list to the DOJ to the extent state law permits.

FILE - Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones speaks about Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Political Context

Jones, a close ally of former President Donald Trump who already has Trump’s endorsement, appears to be using continued focus on 2020 to consolidate support among Trump-aligned voters as he seeks the Republican nomination. Jones was among a group of Georgia Republicans who signed alternative electoral certificates after the 2020 election and backed a special legislative session to try to reverse the result. Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr rejected those efforts.

Reactions From Experts And Party Figures

Some Republican strategists warn that relitigating 2020 risks alienating moderate voters focused on inflation, education and public safety. Ricky Hess, chair of Paulding County Republicans, said voters want election transparency but are "ready to move on from relitigating 2020." Georgia State University political scientist Dr. Jennifer McCoy noted that spotlighting Fulton County may resonate with Trump-aligned voters, but Jones will need broader appeal in a general election.

"There is nothing in the election code overturning it for not following a procedural rule, especially invalidating every single early vote cast in Georgia’s largest county," a Raffensperger spokesperson said, calling the tabulator-tape lapse a procedural mistake that did not change results.

The Brennan Center’s director of elections and security, Gowri Ramachandran, agreed the unsigned tabulator tapes were a procedural issue and not a vote-counting error. Conservative activist Garland Favorito has used the episode to criticize Raffensperger for a perceived lack of transparency, while some party operatives worry Jones’ emphasis on 2020 could limit his appeal beyond the MAGA base.

What’s Next

Raffensperger’s office says it will protect voter privacy and follow state law; lawmakers could change the law if they want broader access to voter records. Meanwhile, Jones’ call for oversight and the Ethics Committee hearing will likely keep the 2020 contest in the headlines as Georgia’s GOP primary unfolds.