One Man’s Opinion: Your Vote is Secure, Your Vote Counts

By Bill Crane

Early voting for the recent November 8, 2022, General Election began on Monday, October 17th. Your ballots were secret, safe, and secure, and each vote counted.

I tend to prefer dealing with facts versus rumor and innuendo. One former president might have you believe that our election system was gamed in 2020 and that our equipment is faulty and hackable. Dominion Voting Systems (DVS) is the dominant election equipment, software, and hardware provider in twenty-eight states, as well as Puerto Rico. Also, DVS is the election vendor for Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri – all states handily won by Donald J. Trump.

And here in Georgia, we have also had another highly visible candidate and public figure suggesting that Georgia’s voting system is stacked and rigged with tactics of voter suppression. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams has softened her verbiage more recently, but still contends that the gubernatorial contest of 2018, which she lost narrowly for governor, was unfair and caused by a flawed and broken system of disenfranchisement and voter suppression.

I am, of course, going to again stick to the facts. Georgia voter turnout in every demographic set records for turnout and hard vote count totals during 2018 and again during 2020. President Joe Biden received more votes than any Democratic candidate in Georgia history, and U.S. Senator David Perdue set a similar record on the GOP side. Virtually every demographic category also saw surges in registration, with African-American registration in both cycles exceeding their percentage of the Georgia population.

Shortly after losing the governor’s race in 2018, which Ms. Abrams never actually conceded, she filed or sponsored a series of lawsuits through multiple non-profits she founded and led for several years, including Fair Fight Action and Vote America. Both entities recently lost their days in court to the Georgia secretary of state. Each piece of litigation challenged a variety of aspects of Georgia election law, ranging from how voter registration lists are updated and maintained (as required by state and federal law), to how precinct boundaries are drawn and which precincts remain open or closed (decisions made by local county boards of election), to the exact match requirements of signatures and voter identification for ballot integrity.

It took years for these suits to wind their way through federal courts, and on September 30, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Steven Jones ruled that Georgia election law does not violate Georgia voters’ Constitutional Rights. Judge Jones, an Obama Administration appointee, wrote in his 288-page decision, “Although Georgia’s election system is not perfect, the challenged practices violate neither the U.S. Constitution nor the Voting Rights Act.”

Judge Jones added that the actual “…burden on voters is relatively low,” and that Fair Fight Action did not provide “direct evidence of a voter who was unable to vote, experienced longer wait times, or was confused about voter registration status.”

Translating and cutting through a bit of that legalese, the judge is pointing out that after dozens of witnesses and reams of testimony of anecdotal harm and injury to our democracy and voting rights,

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The Industry Salon Continued from page 5

Now, The Industry Salon has made a name for itself in the Grayson community and beyond as it continues to provide excellent customer care and a full array of hairstyling services and makeup for formal occasions. The salon won Best of Gwinnett in both 2020 and 2021, and is nominated for 2022 as well, further proving just how much the community values the services that The Industry Salon offers.

Much of their success is due to their team’s mission, which centers on caring for everyone they meet and remembering the extraordinary circumstances under which they began.

“We want to be a positive contact for everyone, and we want to be faithful stewards of what God has given us,” said Candace. “Our staff and clients are like family – we know you by name here.”

With their extensive hairstyling options and their additional options for makeup and blowout services, it’s no wonder that this group has made such a splash. But they aren’t done yet. As of last July, The Industry Salon has expanded their repertoire even further to include women’s clothing and jewelry, sold from a boutique inside the store

“We’re a one-stop shop,” said Candace. “We want to make people feel beautiful both inside and out.”

If you’re ready for a new hairstyle, have been looking for some new clothes, or want a professional to do your makeup for your next formal event, you have found it all in The Industry Salon. Head to their website to make an appointment or just give them a call – they’re ready and waiting for you.

More information at www.theindustrysalon.co, or (678) 647-7037