The office of Secretary of State in Georgia, led by Republican candidate for governor Brian Kemp, is launching an investigation into the state’s Democratic party for “possible cyber crimes” after someone attempted to hack the voter registration system. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kemp’s office announced Saturday night that the state’s system had been attacked and that it would be opening an investigation that included the Democratic Party of Georgia.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of an ongoing investigation, I can confirm that the Democratic Party of Georgia is under investigation for possible cyber crimes,” said Candice Broce, press secretary for the office. “We can also confirm that no personal data was breached and our system remains secure.”
Kemp’s office has been accused of attempting to suppress voter turnout by blocking, freezing and removing voter registrations using a variety of policies. One such policy, called the “exact match” standard, has been used to block registrations for over 50,000 voters.
Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams responded to the news, saying that Kemp is making a “desperate attempt” to distract voters from the fact that two courts have found his voter registration policies to be not lawful. The Democratic Party of Georgia denied all allegations, calling the accusations “100 percent false,” a “political stunt,” and an “abuse of power.”
“Brian Kemp is desperate to save his failing campaign, and it’s likely we’ll see even more of his abuses of power as the election nears,” executive director of the state’s Democratic party Rebecca DeHart said.
The state announced that it was involving federal partners in the investigation, though it didn’t provide any specifics or evidence to support the allegation. “Federal partners, including the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation, were immediately alerted.”
Abrams and Kemp are locked in an intense battle for the Governor’s seat in Georgia. Polls have shown the two locked neck-and-neck, with a runoff in December likely. The race has garnered national attention after Kemp’s voter registration tactics came to light.
Abrams has been working hard to excite voters to turn out, with just two days left before the election. Her efforts have been supported by former President Barack Obama and celebrities like Oprah and Will Ferrell, who have gone door-to-door to canvas for the nominee.
President Trump has thrown his support behind Kemp and has scheduled a rally for Sunday to help excite Republican voters in the state.
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