FOIA Request to Jones County Election Department Regarding Ballot Counting Methods on October 29, 2024.
As part of our ongoing commitment to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at Macon Times have submitted a request under the Georgia Open Records Act § 50.18.70 et seq. The request was made to the Jones County Election Department and pertains specifically to their methods of counting votes in the upcoming election.
In an effort to ensure transparency and accountability, we have asked for detailed information about whether the vote count will be conducted manually or through other means. If the count is indeed manual, we have also requested an estimate of the number of individuals who will be working on election night.
We believe that access to such public records is crucial for us as a media organization. It allows us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing much-needed transparency to the public. As a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news, we have also requested a fee waiver for this information.
We await a response from the Jones County Election Department and will keep our readers updated with any developments.