Dr. Michael A. Youssef, a prominent Arab-American pastor in Atlanta, posted on social media that three mail-in ballots were sent to him for his adult son — who has lived overseas for decades.
Youssef is founder/pastor of The Church of the Apostles megachurch in the Buckhead neighborhood. He also runs Leading the Way, an international television and radio ministry that shares the gospel in 26 languages in six continents.
Youssef is also an apparent witness to irregularities in Georgia’s upcoming Jan. 5 Senate runoff election.
On Wednesday, he said on his Facebook page, “I received 3 mail in postal ballots for one of my adult children who has never lived in this address and has lived overseas for decades….@GaSecofState and @georgiagov …clean up your act!!!!!”
Some of his followers, located in different states, shared their own stories of mail-in ballot issues.
One wrote, “I also received a ballot for my father who died in 2018 AND a $1200 stimulus check earlier this year. My attorney handling his estate for me returned both. This was Maryland.”
Another said, “The sec of state’s office just testified that absentee ballots were only automatically mailed to people over the age of 65 and this is obviously not true.”
Youssef posted the same story on Twitter.
I received 3 mail in postal ballots for one of my adult children who has never lived in this address and has lived overseas for decades….@GaSecofState and @georgiagov …clean up your act!!!!!
— Michael A Youssef (@MichaelAYoussef) December 2, 2020
One follower, a state official, posted a possible explanation.
Chuck Eaton is a commissioner on the Georgia Public Service Commission. He tweeted, “The runoff ballots have not been mailed yet. Guessing you’re receiving absentee ballot request forms from 3rd party groups (not the state)…many of whom are under investigation by @gasecofstate“.
The runoff ballots have not been mailed yet. Guessing you’re receiving absentee ballot request forms from 3rd party groups (not the state)…many of whom are under investigation by @gasecofstate
— Chuck Eaton (@chuckeatonga) December 3, 2020
The commission regulates public utilities in Georgia.
Despite concerns about the sanctity of Georgia’s mail-in ballots, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is doubling down on their use for the runoffs.
Georgia election officials are mailing absentee ballots for the runoff to more than 327,000 voters, most of whom are over 65 years old or disabled, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The mass mailings are a result of record numbers of absentee voters in the June 9 primary. They checked a box on their ballot application forms before the primary.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Dr. Michael A. Youssef” by Dr. Michael A. Youssef.
