COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. — It's out with the old and in with the new at the Coffee County elections office.
"They are tearing down the old building. And building a new administrative building. So we're here in the time being," Election Director Christy Nipper said.
Also brand new: Nipper herself. It's her third week on the job, but she's worked at the office a little more than a year.
But this week more eyes are on Coffee County, about 100 miles south of Macon, as new information swirls in the wake of the newest indictment against former President Donald Trump.
There were a lot of mixed feelings around downtown Douglas Tuesday, as people in town learned Coffee County, its election board and even the Douglas airport, were named more than 50 times in the indictment.
Their old election director, Misty Hampton and former Coffee County Republican Party Chair Cathy Latham were both indicted Monday in a sweeping investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
The county's new election director says despite the allegations and, now, the indictment, her office is on the right path to regaining public trust.
"I've always been interested in elections and politics and, once I got the job, I fell in love with it. And then I got this opportunity to become the director," Nipper said.
Now in the top spot, Nipper has the task of rebuilding her department and regaining public trust.
"I take pride in having the opportunity to make sure that it's fair and transparent," Nipper said.
The old elections office is where security cameras caught on video a group connected to Trump attorney Sidney Powell examining Coffee County voting machines back in January 2021.
They allegedly accessed voter records and state information with the help of Hampton and Latham.
Nipper says she can't speak to any of that since she wasn't working for the elections office then. But she says her team is committed to doing things right. That includes working with the Secretary of State's office.
"They're doing health checks, checking our equipment to make sure everything is on the correct charging schedule. And all of our security is in place the way that it should be," Nipper explained.
It's a process, she hopes it helps people around Coffee County start believing in elections again.
"We do have all new staff. Most, a lot of our board members are new. Things have just changed a lot since that time period," Nipper said.
Election Board Chairman Wendell Stone says he'll defend all elections the office has certified. He also pledged to continue to work with the state to fix what happened in January 2021.
The election board also sent a statement about the indictment. They acknowledge a security breach in January 2021, and pledge to continue working toward free and fair elections. You can read the full statement here:
“The Coffee County Board of Elections is aware of the indictment that was filed in the Superior Court of Fulton County and its reference to the breaches that occurred at the Coffee County Board of Elections office in January of 2021. The Coffee County Board of Elections sincerely appreciates the efforts of our law enforcement officials who have worked tirelessly to ensure the integrity of elections in the state and country. It will be our goal to continue to move forward with free and fair elections and to adhere to all election laws as set forth by the Georgia State Election Board and Secretary of State.”