Politics

Members of Georgia’s Election Board Have Been Coordinating With Cleta Mitchell’s Network

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 13/11/2026, 14:24:25 UTC.

Briefings

ProPublica uncovered that Georgia's State Election Board members coordinated with Cleta Mitchell's Election Integrity Network (EIN) during the 2024 midterm run-up. Key facts include board chair John Fervier's admission of an 'undue influence' from EIN, and former board member Janice Johnston's acknowledgment of her blood connection to the group. The board's staff, including the executive director James Mills, also worked with EIN to advance controversial voter roll tools like ELLY. While board members like Janelle King and Janice Johnston denied direct influence, they attended meetings with EIN affiliates. The investigation highlights a conflict between the board's independence and its operational alignment with conservative election reform efforts.

Key points

• Board chair John Fervier admitted in an interview that the Election Integrity Network (EIN) had an 'undue influence' on the State Election Board, though he declined to specify personnel details.
• Former board member Janice Johnston acknowledged her blood connection to EIN and stated she remained involved with board affairs after her retirement in June 2025.

Context

This investigation by ProPublica reveals a significant conflict of interest within Georgia's election administration. The State Election Board, responsible for election rules and fraud investigations, has been coordinating with an activist group led by Cleta Mitchell, who previously worked with Trump to overturn the 2020 election. This coordination includes using controversial software tools to search voter rolls, raising concerns about the board's impartiality.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to interviews and documents shared by ProPublica and Fair Fight Action. Board members like King and Johnston denied influencing decisions, while staff and the board chair declined to answer questions. Specific dates for the coordination are not fully detailed, and the extent of staff involvement remains partially unverified.

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