A Georgia judge dismissed a Republican lawsuit that sought to prevent counties from operating election offices over the weekend to accept hand-delivered absentee ballots. The GOP plaintiffs argued that Fulton County’s decision to open election offices on Nov. 2 and 3 for voters to hand-deliver absentee ballots directly to registrars violated state law and election rules. They claimed that the lack of poll watchers to observe the absentee ballot intake compromised election integrity.
During a court hearing on Nov. 2, Judge Kevin Farmer denied the emergency petition filed by the Republican plaintiffs, stating that state law allows voters to hand-deliver absentee ballots to registrars and that no ballot drop boxes were open at the election offices over the weekend. The plaintiffs argued that all ballot drop boxes should be locked after early voting, and county election offices should not accept hand-delivered absentee ballots after early voting ends.
The judge read the relevant section of the Georgia Code, which allows for personal delivery of absentee ballots to registrars, indicating that hand-delivery to the registrar is lawful. The plaintiffs also argued that keeping the offices open for in-person absentee ballots violated another section of the Georgia Code, but the judge clarified that this provision only applies to drop boxes.
Attorney Alex Kaufman, representing the Republican plaintiffs, raised concerns about Republican poll watchers not being able to observe the activities involving hand-delivered ballots due to the last-minute extension of the election office hours. The director of the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections confirmed that poll watchers have never been allowed to observe the acceptance of hand-delivered ballots at the election offices.
Despite the Republican plaintiffs’ arguments, the judge denied their petition, stating that there was no violation of the Georgia Code in allowing voters to hand-return absentee ballots over the counter at the election offices. He also noted that the absence of open drop boxes at those locations supported his decision to dismiss the petition.
By mid-afternoon on Saturday, fewer than 30 ballots had been received at the four election office locations, according to Fulton County spokesperson Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez. The decision to dismiss the lawsuit was not immediately commented on by the Georgia GOP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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