Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who has also spearheaded election monitor in countries across the world for decades, has called on Brian Kemp—the Georgia Republican who is running for governor while also serving as Secretary of State—to resign from his post in order to ensure integrity of the state’s upcoming election.

“In Georgia’s upcoming gubernatorial election, popular confidence is threatened not only by the undeniable racial discrimination of the past and the serious questions that the federal courts have raised about the security of Georgia’s voting machines, but also because you are now overseeing the election in which you are a candidate.” —Jimmy Carter

With major purges of registered voters from the state’s roles sparking widespread condemnation and suppression efforts being challenged in court, Carter warned that Kemp operating as both a candidate and the top election authority is a violation of the “most fundamental principle of democratic elections.”

Carter issued his request to Kemp in a letter sent last week, but the Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter and published it Monday.

“In order to foster voter confidence in the upcoming election, which will be especially important if the race ends up very close,” the letter states, “I urge you to step aside and hand over to a neutral authority the responsibility of overseeing the governor’s election. This would not address every concern, but it would be a sign that you recognize the importance of this key democratic principle and want to ensure the confidence of our citizens in the outcome.”