Brad Raffensperger pushes to ramp up jail time for tampering in state's elections

Election interference in Georgia should come with a minimum 10-year prison sentence, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told lawmakers in a letter Tuesday.

“Current Georgia law provides that these infractions constitute a felony but with inadequate minimum sentences and fines, which is not sufficient justice for those who attempt to interfere with our democracy,” he wrote, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The push comes as he’s facing pressure to update Georgia’s voting system software to make the state’s elections more secure before 2024. He’s been criticized for dismissing concerns, many of which were revealed in an audit the month, and claiming the existing system is “battle-tested.”

Reports released earlier this month described several weaknesses in the existing system that could leave election security vulnerable, the AJC reported. One of the reports came from an expert giving evidence in a lawsuit brought by a group that wants to return to hand ballots.

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“We’re also keenly aware that heading into a major election, bad actors will attempt to sow distrust, disinformation, and in some cases, take illegal actions against Georgia’s voting system and its people,” Raffensperger wrote.

Last week, he said risks were “theoretical and imaginary” and that criticisms of Georgia’s system came from “election-denying conspiracy theorists.”