[Grammar] Goergia says or Goergia said

[teemo72]

Which one is correct?

1. Goergia says voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

2. Goergia said voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

If 1 is correct, why?

 

[emsr2d2]

The most important thing you should do is note the correct spelling of Georgia.
The next thing you should do is give us the source and author of those sentences.

 

[Tarheel]

Which one is correct?

1. Georgia says a voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

2. Georgia said a voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

If 1 is correct, why?

I don't think a state can make comments.

 

[teemo72]

The most important thing you should do is note the correct spelling of Georgia.
The next thing you should do is give us the source and author of those sentences.

I saw it on MSNBC today. When I saw the sentence, I immediately asked myself shouldn't "says" be in past tense?

 

[teemo72]

I don't think a state can make comments.

1. Mr. G says a voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

2. Mr. G said a voting machine audit found no evidence of fraud.

Are both correct? If so, why?

 

[tedmc]

The present tense implies that Mr. G stands by what he said.
The past tense implies that it was a one-off statement.

 

[emsr2d2]

News sources frequently use the present tense for something that has already happened. It's commonly seen in sentences that have been reduced (some words are omitted on purpose without changing the meaning).

Man dies in horrific car accident. > A man died/has died in a horrific car accident.
Woman rescues drowning dog. > A woman rescued/has rescued a drowning dog.

For me, that is the construction the original used - the present tense with a reduced sentence (no article before "counting machine audit").