After a voter complains about the non-human-readable barcode on his ballot (which violates Georgia law) he learns the Cherokee Election Director wants him charged with multiple felonies.
On June 17th, 2022, Mr. Richard Jordan walked into the South Annex poll location in Woodstock to vote in the primary runoff election.
According to Mr. Jordan’s account, he showed credentials to confirm his identity and was given a voting card to allow him to use the ballot marking device machine. He made his vote selection and printed out his ballot.
On his ballot he noted a barcode on the printed ballot. Mr. Jordan states he was approached by a poll worker and directed toward the tabulator to insert his ballot. He asked the poll worker how she could confirm that the bar code said the same thing as his vote choice. The poll worker replied she didn’t know and Mr. Jordan asked to speak to the poll manager.
Mr. Jordan states he asked the poll manager the same question and the poll manager replied she didn’t have any explanation on the barcode. After a few minutes the poll manager made a phone call and then handed the phone to Mr. Jordan.
On the phone was Cherokee Elections Director, Anne Dover, who Mr. Jordan states told him there was not a means for a human to read the barcode. Mr. Jordan asked Ms. Dover and the poll manager for a complaint form so that he could document a formal complaint. The poll manager reportedly spoke again with Ms. Dover and ultimately handed Mr. Jordan a form to complete.
He stood at a table in the poll area to complete the complaint form with his ballot resting on the table next to him. A few minutes later he was approached by a Woodstock police officer and asked if he was OK. He stated yes that he was voting. Mr. Jordan noted that his ballot was in full view and asked the police officer to step back so as not to violate his right to a confidential ballot. Mr. Jordan asked the officers to confirm their identifies and made notes. He completed the form, processed his ballot through the tabulator and exited the poll location to return to his car.
The Georgia Record has obtained bodycam footage of the incident which, in-part, documents the discussions of the officers, assistant poll manager, poll manager and several poll workers along with Mr. Jordan’s actions. Mr. Jordan is seen below standing at a table filing out the complaint form he was given.