DeKalb board certifies June 16 runoff; director reports 14% turnout and recount matched certified totals

The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections voted to certify the results of the June 16 runoff after a short review of reconciliation issues and a recess to permit signing of certification paperwork.

Director Smith presented the post-election report, saying the unofficial and incomplete results showed 495,076 active voters and 69,329 ballots cast in the runoff, an overall turnout of 14 percent. She said election-day turnout was 38,511, early voting produced 28,818 ballots, absentee-by-mail accepted totaled 1,957 (1,914 domestic; 43 overseas), and 43 provisional ballots were recorded.

Smith told the board that a statewide recount in a closely contested Public Service Commission race required county participation; she said the county'level recount concluded without a need to recertify because the number of ballots counted during the recount matched the certified totals.

Gail Lee pressed staff about discrepancies raised during the pre-certification meeting, asking whether any ballots had been rescanned and whether certain voters had been credited. Smith and staff described reconciliation efforts and identified two ballots that could not be credited because staff could not identify the voters through internal reconciliation; board members agreed those two uncredited ballots were not numerically material to the certified result.

After the director's report and members' questions, a motion to certify the June 16 results was moved and seconded and the chair asked for a voice vote. The board recessed briefly to sign certification documents and then resumed the meeting.

"I just really want to extend my thanks to [staff] for helping us facilitate an accurate, transparent, secure election again," Director Smith said.

The board left open no further action on certification at the meeting; the record shows certification was completed and the board recessed to execute the required paperwork.

What happens next: Staff will continue post-election processes referenced in the director's report and prepare for the upcoming July 28 special election in Congressional District 13, including required risk-limiting audit steps and any follow-up stemming from recount procedures.