No entity or individual sought permission to intervene and challenge the Settlement Agreement. United States District Judge William M. Ray closed the case on March 9.[1]
- c. The Risk-Limiting Audit
Georgia law provides procedures for conducting a “risk-limiting audit” prior to the final certification of an election. O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498. Such an audit must be “[c]omplete[d]… in public view.” O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498(c)(4). And the State Election Board is “authorized to promulgate rules, regulations, and procedures to implement and administer” an audit, including “security procedures to ensure that [the] collection of validly cast ballots is complete, accurate, and trustworthy throughout the audit.” O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498(d). See also Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 183-1-15-.04 (2020).
On November 11, 2020, Raffensperger announced a statewide risk-limiting audit (the Audit)—also referred to as a “full hand recount”—of all votes cast in the contest for President of the United States.[2] Every county in Georgia was required to begin the Audit at 9:00 am on November 13 and finish by 11:59 pm on