Georgia investigates uncounted votes that could flip a state House seat to Republicans
Republican Rep. Gerald Greene now leads Democrat Harry James by 262 votes in the unofficial count, after trailing by 58.
State election officials in Georgia said on Friday that a post-election check found a mismatch in Seminole between the ballots checked in and the ballots cast. The check led them to a memory card whose votes had never been uploaded. In a southwest Georgia , Republican Rep. Gerald Greene had been 58 votes behind Democrat Harry James.
With the card's votes added, the unofficial result puts him 262 votes ahead. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has opened an investigation into how the error occurred. Newsweek reports the card held several hundred uncounted votes and that the seat could flip back to Republicans if county officials certify it before a Monday deadline.
Greene told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was "in disbelief." Newsweek says James has not commented publicly. Democrats appeared to win control of the Georgia House on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.
If Greene's lead stands, they would hold 92 seats in the 180-member chamber, one more than the 91 needed for a majority. Newsweek adds that House Democratic Leader Carolyn Hugley's office is looking into whether further action is needed.
- 58-vote deficitGreene's deficit before the card was countedNewsweek
- 262-vote leadGreene's lead after the card's votes were addedNewsweek
- 388more votes identified by the county Board of Elections, per NewsweekNewsweek
- 93 of the 180 seatsDemocrats' unofficial total in the Georgia House before the flipNewsweek
- 91seats needed for a House majorityNewsweek
Three sides of the story
8 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from liberal outlets
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Liberal2 outlets
A memory card that could upend a race
The New York Times, in a piece titled "The Memory Card That Could Upend a State House Race in Georgia," says the Democrat was leading the district race until officials realized votes were missing from a single memory card. It reports that the Republican now has the edge.
Center1 outlet
Raffensperger's probe into votes uploaded late
Newsweek's headline says the seat flips after votes were found on a memory card, and its first paragraph says Raffensperger has launched an investigation into votes uploaded late. It quotes him saying the safeguards worked, "that is exactly what these guardrails did," and that the failure to upload results is "unacceptable." Greene tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he is "in disbelief."
Newsweek notes James has not commented and that House Democratic Leader Carolyn Hugley's office is looking into whether further action is needed. It also reports social media criticism and conspiracy theories, and recalls Trump's 2020 call urging Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes." It closes on the chamber math: 92 seats for Democrats if the flip is certified, against 91 needed, plus the Dec. 1 runoff in District 151.
Conservative5 outlets
A small Republican gain amid Southern losses
Townhall's piece, headlined "A Missing Memory Card Could Chip Away at GA Dem's New House Majority," starts from a wider concern about the Deep South. The writer says Republicans have been losing ground there for years, pointing to Georgia's two Democratic senators and to Mississippi's Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who the writer says looks likely to lose. He adds that Democrats seem poised to retake the Georgia House for the first time in 20 years, while Republicans held the state .
Townhall then passes along the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's report: a memory card found in Seminole County, Greene moving from 58 votes behind James to 262 ahead, and Raffensperger saying he is investigating how the error occurred. The same account says the reversal could leave Democrats with 92 of 180 seats, one more than the 91 needed. Townhall's own verdict is that this is "somewhat good news," though it carries a "we scored a touchdown, but we're still down 65 points" feeling.
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All sources: 8 articles from 8 outlets
Liberal (2)
Center (1)
Conservative (5)
- Breitbart News: Republicans Focusing on Election Integrity in Uncalled NC House Races
- Just the News: Georgia secretary of state opens investigation into Seminole County late upload in House race
- RedState: Georgia House Race Flips After Hundreds of Votes Go Unreported, Sparking Investigation
- The Daily Signal: AP Calls Georgia House for Dems, But 10 Races Still Too Close to Call
- Townhall: A Missing Memory Card Could Chip Away at GA Dem's New House Majority
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