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Who Certifies Your Vote in Georgia?

American elections serve as a model for the world thanks to our rigorous system of checks and balances and our neighbors serving as election workers faithfully carrying out those duties.

Working in teams made up of people from both parties, poll workers and election officials count, canvass, audit and confirm votes.

They verify voters’ identities. They inspect ballots. They look for any errors and resolve them. 

After that comes the final phase of our election process – certification. This is the step in the process where election officials declare the winners.

A photo depicting a diverse group of Americans voting in elections in private voting booths at a polling center.

Certifying verified election results is essential to upholding the will of the people, so be sure to thank those responsible for certifying your vote when you see them in your community!

An image depicting a hand placing a ballot in a box during elections in front of the flag of the state of Georgia. The flag consists of a blue box in the upper left corner with the state seal, on 3 horizontal stripes of red, white, and red.

A useful analogy for understanding certification is the process through which drivers’ licenses are issued.

After you successfully complete your practical driving test under the observation of a DMV staffer, they give you a slip declaring that you’ve passed. The DMV staffer in the car with you represents the role of those election workers who count each ballot and audit the findings for accuracy. 

You take that slip with the test results to a different DMV employee. This staffer is responsible for collecting your identifying information, taking your photograph, and ultimately issuing your license.

This is much like the role of our election certifiers – to issue a certificate to the winner of the election. 

An image showing a hand filling in a blurred/shadowed ballot with a ballpoint pen.

At that phase, you’ve already been tested and demonstrated to be a competent driver. The second staffer has no authority to second-guess the person who administered your road test – saying “I don’t know, I don’t think you seem like someone who can drive” or “I don’t trust that process so I don’t think I want to give you a license.” They can’t direct you back into your car to prove your competence again. 

Similarly – election certifiers do not have the discretion to question or overrule the election results after they have been counted, canvassed, audited and confirmed by our election workers.