North Fulton Today

State Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) called upon Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's secretary of state, to address identified vulnerabilities in the voting process before the upcoming 2024 Election, emphasizing the urgency to fortify voting systems and restore public trust in the electoral process. Beach's concern, echoed by cybersecurity experts and government officials, highlights the need to confront these vulnerabilities for secure and trustworthy elections in the near future.

According to a statement released by the Georgia General Assembly, Beach said: "These vulnerabilities have garnered validation from a minimum of 29 cybersecurity experts and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Over the course of a year, the Secretary of State’s office has been aware of these vulnerabilities, yet has taken no action to enhance the security of our elections or foster trust among our citizens in the voting process."

In another statement released by the Georgia General Assembly, Beach referenced a quote by fellow Senator Greg Dolezal of Cumming. "The bad actors have a key to the front door, they know the nine vulnerabilities, and we are simply hoping to apprehend them before they escape through the back door," said Dolezal, during a recent Senate Ethics hearing, according to Beach.

A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) poll found that 61% of Republican voters continue to believe that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election, according to a WALB news report from earlier this month.

Beach, in a statement released by the Georgia General Assemby, cited an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article in which it was estimated that implementing security upgrades would cost $32.5 million. 

"Despite requests for a meeting, an appearance before the Ethics Committee, or an indication of availability, the Secretary of State has remained unresponsive. This year alone, we possess a $5 billion surplus, and I can think of no better investment than doing everything within our means to secure our voting equipment and bolster public trust in the voting process," Beach further stated according to a Georgia General Assembly statement.

Beach's campaign website shows that in Nov. 2020, four Georgia state senators, including Beach, urgently called for a special legislative session to tackle issues stemming from the controversies surrounding Georgia’s November 2020 election, emphasizing the need to address structural flaws in the voting system and potential irregularities.

According to the release by the Georgia General Assembly, Beach chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and represents Georgia's 21st Senate District, covering portions of Cherokee and Fulton Counties. He was first elected in 2013.