Falcons' Arthur Blank urges Georgia election officials to have patience through Election Day
The Peach State is going to be hotly contested
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Atlanta Falcons team owner Arthur Blank called on Georgia election officials to ensure a fair process when counting the votes on Election Day.
Blank released a statement ahead of Election Day with Georgia becoming a pivotal state in the presidential, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House elections.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Free and fair elections are vital to the health of our democracy. The individual right of citizens to vote, and to have their vote properly assessed and counted, warrants the absolute integrity of the process and of all individuals involved in managing the election at the local, state, and national levels,” Blank said in his statement.
He continued: “More people have voted early or by mail this year and all indications are that turnout will be strong in Georgia and all over the country on Tuesday. I urge everyone who hasn't voted yet to do so on Election Day. And, as a citizen who believes deeply in the democratic process, I urge officials to ensure the election is carried out with fairness, honesty, and the patience required to count every vote that is cast, which is the very essence of American democracy and what every citizen who votes deserves.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Saturday there has already been record early in-person voting and absentee by-mail voting.
“Georgia is a leader in election access,” he said. “Notwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no-excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting.”
President Trump, who may need to carry Georgia on his way to a second term, said Sunday at a campaign stop in Rome that all votes in the state should be counted by Election Day.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“If you know what would have been really nice? If our Supreme Court could have ruled that everything has to be counted by the evening of our Election Day, instead of waiting around six days, eight days, nine days, giving them more time,” he said. “If they want more time, let them put their ballots in early. They don’t have to wait until the end.”
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An average of recent polls compiled by Real Clear Politics showed Trump and Biden in a virtual dead heat in Georgia. The state’s two Republican senators - Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue - are in the midst of tightly-contested reelection campaigns.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Thomas Barrabi contributed to this report.