Georgia Governor and Lieutenant Governor Announce They Will Not Call Special Session of Legislature over Election
Penny Starr 7 Dec 2020
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, both Republicans, released a statement on Sunday that said they will not call the General Assembly back into session to address concerns of election integrity in the presidential election.
“While we understand four members of the Georgia Senate are requesting the convening of a special session of the General Assembly, doing this in order to select a separate slate of presidential electors is not an option that is allowed under state or federal law,†the statement said.
“State law is clear: the legislature could only direct an alternative method for choosing presidential electors if the election was not able to be held on the date set by federal law,†the statement said. “In the 1960s, the General Assembly decided that Georgia’s presidential electors will be determined by the winner of the state’s popular vote.â€
“The statement comes just one day after reports that President Donald Trump called Kemp in an effort to pressure him into calling the special session according to The Washington Post and confirmed by CNN,†WXIA-TV reported. “The governor reportedly rebuffed the president on the idea. Trump has previously urged Gov. Kemp in at least one tweet to ‘call in the legislature.’â€
If Joe Biden is confirmed as president by the electoral college, he will be the first Democrat to win the state since Bill Clinton.
