Georgia’s congressional delegation signs letter demanding investigation into claims of voter fraud

ATLANTA, Ga. (WTOC) - Republican members and members-elect of the U.S House of Representatives from Georgia co-signed a letter Tuesday asking the secretary of state to find answers to claims of voter irregularities.

In a letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the Congressional delegation say, “we are deeply concerned by continued, serious allegations of voting irregularities in our state. The Georgia Republican Party and the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign have received reports of deceased or ineligible voters casting ballots, eligible voters being denied the opportunity to vote, and Republican poll watchers and observers being denied access to activities and meetings critical to ensuring a fair, accurate, and transparent vote tabulation.”

The letter was signed by Representatives Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, Drew Ferguson, Austin Scott, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, Rick Allen, and Representatives-elect Andrew Clyde and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

This letter comes on the same day that U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, who’s leading President Donald Trump’s recount team in Georgia, and the state Republican Party chairman sent a letter to Secretary Raffensperger requesting that he order a hand recount of Georgia’s nearly five million ballots before certifying the results.

[RELATED: Trump campaign seeks hand recount in Georgia, could get it]

WTOC spoke with Rep. Carter at an unrelated event on Tuesday night about the letter and why he chose to sign it. Rep. Carter stated that his office has received several calls from constituents with allegations of voter irregularities but did not provide specific examples. Rep. Carter stated it was not his job as a congressman to investigate these claims, but the job of Secretary Raffensperger.

These two letters come a day after Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler released a statement asking for Secretary Raffensperger’s resignation after they said, “the management of Georgia elections has become an embarrassment for our state.”

Secretary Reffensperger, who is also a Republican, responded to the joint statement from the two senators saying that he would not be resigning, that he was an elected official and the voters were the ones who hired him and would be the ones to fire him.

In his response, Secretary Raffensperger mentioned that his office is investigating claims of voter fraud, but he doubted it happened on a scale necessary to change the outcome of the election. “Was there illegal voting? I am sure there was. And my office is investigating all of it. Does it rise to the numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome to where President Trump is given Georgia’s electoral votes? That is unlikely.”

President Donald Trump could demand a recount after results are certified if the margin is within 0.5% of all ballots cast, which the results currently fall under. There has been no response from the Secretary of State’s Office about a recount being done before results are certified, as asked in the letter from the Trump Campaign and state Republican Party.

Rep. Carter stated Tuesday night that no matter the result, he believes Republicans and Democrats just want a fair election.

“Certainly, it’s important for the secretary of state to be confident but we want to be confident, too. And I think that the Secretary of State can help us all. A hand recount has been requested by the Trump Campaign and by the Georgia Republican Party, and I think investigating these allegations is the responsibility of the secretary of state and I hope he fulfills that responsibility,” Rep. Carter said.

Secretary Raffensperger is scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Georgia Capitol on the election and work of Georgia’s election officials.

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