DeKalb County, GA (Friday, June 2, 2023) – The DeKalb County Democratic Committee (DCDC) has selected Democrats Susan Motter and Vasu Abhiraman as their nominees to the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections for the 2023-2025 term. The nominations were announced to members and supporters at their monthly countywide meeting last night.
Susan Motter has agreed to serve another term on the Board. A dedicated member since 2019, Motter’s reappointment for a third term will maintain essential continuity and considerable expertise on the Board. A passionate defender of voting rights and skilled attorney, Motter currently works as an Associate Partner at Aon, a global professional services firm.
Dele Lowman-Smith, who served two terms and led the Elections Board as Chair through critical staff changes and a global pandemic, has chosen to step down to pursue other opportunities. After an application and interview process, the DCDC has selected Vasu Abhiraman to replace Lowman-Smith.
Born and raised in DeKalb County, Abhiraman brings an extensive wealth of knowledge of Georgia election law and procedures. Most recently, as Senior Policy Counsel and Deputy Policy & Advocacy Director for the ACLU of Georgia, Abhiraman led a variety of initiatives to expand voter access, improve voting procedures, and recruit election workers in coordination with Elections Directors across the state. In this role, Abhiraman also worked with volunteers to monitor Board of Elections meetings across Georgia.
In 2020, Abhiraman served on the Georgia Secretary of State’s Bipartisan Task Force for Safe, Secure, and Accessible Elections to ensure that all Georgians could vote safely during a global pandemic. The effort resulted in more Georgians casting ballots in the 2020 General Election and Runoff than in any other elections in Georgia history. Abhiraman also served as a DeKalb poll worker for several years and currently serves as Senior Counsel at Alliance for Justice.
“We are very happy to reappoint Susan Motter to serve another term. She and Dele Lowman-Smith set the bar very high for serving with dedication and integrity. We would have loved to reappoint Dele as well, but we understand her wishes and are so grateful for her strong leadership under very challenging circumstances,” said DeKalb Democrats Chair Brandi Wyche, “We are thrilled that we found an exceptional candidate to take her place. Vasu not only has an impressive resume, he has earned great respect among those that know and work with him. He’ll be a fantastic partner to all members of the Board and staff, and a tremendous asset to DeKalb elections. We look forward to a speedy confirmation from Chief Judge Jackson for both he and Susan.”
The nominations for all members of the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections will be confirmed by DeKalb Superior Court Chief and Administrative Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson who will also select the fifth At-Large member of the Board.
