ATLANTA — Georgia’s Secretary of State is asking lawmakers to go after anyone caught tampering with election machines.

Right now, if you tamper with a voting machine or even try to tamper with one, the most you can get is one to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

But with recent events, especially in South Georgia, Brad Raffensperger wants bad actors to spend a long time in jail.

Security camera video taken on January 7, 2021 -- one day after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol -- shows former Coffee County Republican Party chair Cathy Latham opening up the door to the county elections office and, according to investigators, allowing people connected to elections denier and attorney Sidney Powell access to the Dominion voting machines where they allegedly downloaded data.

That incident remains under investigation by the state.

“That’s something that’s before the state elections board. They’re finishing up and been working on that investigation, but that shows you why we need stiff penalties, and that’s why we specify specifically 10 years in prison,” Raffensperger said.

He is asking the General Assembly to boost the penalty for tampering with voting machines to a minimum of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

He thinks those penalties will act as a deterrent.

“Existing law perhaps worked in earlier times, but it doesn’t work with what we’re seeing recently, and this is one way to put an end to it,” Raffensperger said.

He also thinks this is something people on both sides of the election debate can get behind.

“Both sides should,” Raffensperger said. “Who wants people cheating in elections? I think everyone should make sure we have accessible, fair, and honest elections and that they’re secure.”

Raffensperger reminds us those machines accessed down in Coffee County were pulled out of service.

So far, no one has been charged in that case.

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