Brad Raffensperger

Brad Raffensperger: Georgia’s Election Official in the Spotlight

Brad Raffensperger, a Republican and Georgia’s Secretary of State since 2019, emerged as a central figure in the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. presidential election due to his role in overseeing the state’s voting process and his refusal to accede to pressure from then-President Donald Trump. As the chief election official in Georgia, Raffensperger was responsible for certifying the state’s election results, which showed Joe Biden winning by a narrow margin of 11,779 votes. His actions during this period placed him at the heart of controversies surrounding false claims of widespread voter fraud, often referred to as "The Big Lie," which fueled efforts to overturn the election results and contributed to events like the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Role in the 2020 Election and Trump Pressure Call

Raffensperger oversaw Georgia’s 2020 election, which included implementing new voting systems and managing the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on voting. After the election, his office conducted three recounts—two by machine and one by hand—which consistently confirmed Biden’s victory. Despite these verifications, Raffensperger faced intense scrutiny and accusations of fraud from Trump and his allies. On January 2, 2021, Trump called Raffensperger in a recorded conversation, urging him to "find 11,780 votes"—one more than Biden’s margin of victory. During the hour-long call, Raffensperger repeatedly refuted Trump’s unfounded claims of voter fraud, stating that the election data did not support such allegations. The recording of this call, later released by Raffensperger’s office, became a pivotal piece of evidence in legal proceedings, including Trump’s indictment in Georgia on charges related to election interference.

Following the call and his refusal to alter the election results, Raffensperger and his family received death threats from individuals echoing Trump’s fraud claims. Despite this, he remained steadfast in defending the integrity of Georgia’s election process, emphasizing the accuracy of the counts and the lack of evidence for widespread irregularities.

Significance to The Big Lie and Key Relationships

Raffensperger’s stand against pressure from Trump positioned him as a symbol of resistance to efforts to undermine the 2020 election results, a narrative central to The Big Lie. His decision to uphold the certified results and release the recording of the Trump call provided critical documentation of attempts to subvert the democratic process. His direct interaction with Trump during the January 2 call ties him closely to ongoing legal actions, including the Georgia indictment of Trump and several associates for allegedly attempting to interfere with the state’s election certification.

Beyond Trump, Raffensperger’s role intersected with other figures in Georgia’s political landscape, including state officials and lawmakers who either supported or opposed his actions. His tenure as Secretary of State continues to be shaped by the fallout from 2020, as debates over election integrity and voting laws persist in Georgia and nationwide.