ATLANTA, Georgia — The Georgia State Election Board has agreed to pay $50,000 and implement new transparency rules to settle a lawsuit filed by the government watchdog group American Oversight over the board’s use of private email accounts to conduct official business. The Republican-controlled board, which has continued to seek further investigation into the 2020 presidential election results, will now be required to use official government email addresses and avoid personal or encrypted messaging applications.
American Oversight filed the lawsuit in October 2024 after discovering that board member Janice Johnston had used her private Gmail account for state business and declined to release related communications. The agreement requires the board to prohibit “ephemeral messaging applications” such as Snapchat and Signal for conducting official work, ensuring that any messages are preserved and available under Georgia’s Open Records Act.
Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, said the settlement sends a clear message about accountability. “When officials who continue to challenge the results of the 2020 election are put in charge of ensuring fair and orderly elections—but do so behind closed doors—the integrity of our elections is at risk,” she said. The lawsuit was resolved without any admission of liability, though American Oversight is pursuing a separate case alleging violations of Georgia’s Open Meetings Act.
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