Williams only found out about the problem when she showed a voter how to check registration information online. Fulton County elections officials acknowledged the data entry error Thursday.

Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan rails against a bill that would outlaw most abortions in Georgia. Photo by Bob Andres

Jen Jordan, a Democratic senator from Atlanta, said she discovered that she had been declared "inactive" when she checked her registration information as Williams described her issue during a meeting of Fulton legislators last week. "Inactive" voters can still vote, but their registrations would be canceled if they missed two general elections.

“Whatever system we have in place isn’t working, and the problem with that is the result may be that it could end up having someone denied the ability to vote in this state,” Jordan said. “Clearly the system has a lot of holes in it.”

Jordan’s status changed to “inactive” because mail from Fulton election officials was returned as undeliverable, according to voting records. But Jordan said she has been receiving election mail, including a new precinct card after she moved in the spring.

Registration applications are processed by county election offices.

February 18, 2020 - Atlanta - Rep. Alan Powell, R - Hartwell, speaks during morning orders as the General Assembly returned for the 13th legislative day. Bob Andres / robert.andres@ajc.com

State Rep. Alan Powell, a Republican from Hartwell, said someone changed his address to Decatur in August using an online system from the Department of Driver Services, which submits voter registration information to election officials through Georgia's automatic voter registration program.

State records show his address wasn’t corrected until last week.

“Every person has a right to vote,” Powell said, “but what comes with that right is the need to sign up and check your registration.”

Register to vote in Georgia