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Memory card with uncounted ballots found in Georgia House race, launching investigation
Previously uncounted votes in Seminole County put Republican Gerald Greene ahead as Georgia officials investigate the election error.
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A previously missing election machine memory card has reversed the apparent outcome of a closely watched Georgia House race. This can potentially narrow Democrats’ newly won majority before the new Legislature takes office. State election officials said on Friday that the uncounted memory card was discovered in Seminole County during a post-election review, changing the vote totals in House District 151.
After the votes stored on the memory card were uploaded, Republican incumbent Gerald Greene moved from trailing Democrat Harry James by 58 votes to leading by 262 votes, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.
The reversal could reduce Democrats’ majority in the 180-member House from 93 seats to 92, leaving them with only one seat above the 91 required for control.
According to Capitol Beat, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said his office has launched an investigation into how the memory card was left out of the original vote count.
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“This oversight didn’t just affect the numbers — it changed who was leading an election”
Election officials said the discrepancy surfaced when they compared the number of voters who checked in with the number of ballots counted in Seminole County. Officials found roughly 388 more voters than recorded ballots.
The search led officials to an uncounted election machine memory card. Once its votes were added to the statewide tally, Greene took the lead over James.
“This oversight didn’t just affect the numbers — it changed who was leading an election,” Raffensperger said. “That is unacceptable, and we intend to find out exactly how it happened.”
According to the Secretary of State’s updated unofficial results, Greene received 10,193 votes while James received 9,932 votes, giving the Republican a lead of about 261 to 262 votes, depending on the reporting update. The results remain unofficial until certification.
Greene represents House District 151, which spans nine counties in southwest Georgia. The outcome determines who will represent voters across the district in the next legislative session.
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Democrats still on course for House control
Despite the reversal, Democrats still appear on track to control the Georgia House for the first time in about two decades. Before the Seminole County update, Democrats appeared to have flipped 14 Republican-held seats and lost two of their own.
If Greene’s lead holds through certification, Democrats would control 92 seats, giving them a one-seat majority in the 180-member chamber. That slim margin could make every vote critical during the legislative session.
According to Capitol Beat, another race could still affect the balance of power. Republican Rep. Mike Cheokas of Americus failed to secure a majority in a three-way contest and will face Democrat Ethan Wolfe in a runoff after the independent candidate was eliminated. If Democrats win that seat, their majority would increase to two seats.
