Georgia County’s Records Show 43K Absentee Ballot Chain of Custody Forms Have Incomplete or Late Information

Ballot transfer forms for nearly 44,000 absentee ballots in DeKalb County, Georgia, are either incomplete or were not filled out in a timely manner, according to an analysis of the forms published Monday by the Georgia Star News.

The outlet found issues with transfer forms for 43,907 absentee ballots out of 61,731 absentee ballots cast via drop box in DeKalb in the 2020 election.

Counties in Georgia were required, per an emergency rule passed by the State Election Board last spring and renewed in July 2020, to fill out ballot transfer forms, which are chain of custody documents meant to accompany every batch of absentee ballots picked up at drop boxes.

A ballot collection team “shall complete and sign a ballot transfer form upon removing the ballots from the drop box, which shall include the date, time, location and number of ballots,” the rule states.