When it comes to free and fair elections, former President Jimmy Carter knows what he's talking about. Through its democracy program, The Carter Center has observed more than 100 elections in 39 countries around the world.
And considering what the Republican Party is doing to disenfranchise people and steal votes, we could use a bit of The Carter Center's election expertise right here in the United States.
Both of the Carters have been asked why their folks can't monitor elections here at home like they do in emerging democracies in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their answer always is: "We have to be formally invited, and all parties have to agree to our presence as independent, nonpartisan observers." So getting involved in any US elections has always been a dead idea.
However, something about this year's Georgia gubernatorial race has caused Jimmy Carter to stir: Secretary of State (and Republican candidate for Governor) Brian Kemp.
Kemp's day job means he runs next week's Peach State elections. Awkward! He's also been keeping busy suppressing votes by tossing Georgians of color off the rolls. And he refuses to recuse himself in the event of a recount.
It's all become too much for President Carter, who sent this in a letter to Kemp the other day:
"You are now overseeing the election in which you are a candidate. This runs counter to the most fundamental principle of democratic elections — that the electoral process be managed by an independent and impartial election authority.
"Other secretaries of state have stepped down while running for election within their jurisdiction, to ensure that officials without a direct stake in the process can take charge and eliminate concerns about a conflict of interest.
"In order to foster voter confidence in the upcoming election, which will be especially important if the race ends up very close, I urge you to step aside and hand over to a neutral authority the responsibility of overseeing the governor’s election. This would not address every concern, but it would be a sign that you recognize the importance of this key democratic principle and want to ensure the confidence of our citizens in the outcome."
Somehow we can't picture Kemp having a come-to-Jesus moment on this. So we're left wondering: Will Georgia's election next week be any more legitimate and participatory than, say, Kenya's recent one, or Zimbabwe's? We cats HISS.
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