The Georgia Supreme Court is currently reviewing a judge's decision to nullify new rules, including a hand-count ballot measure, passed by the Republican-majority State Elections Board (SEB). The court decided to hear the Republican National Committee's (RNC's) appeal after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Cox, Jr. ruled the measures as 'illegal, unconstitutional, and void.'
The RNC requested the court to temporarily block Cox's ruling and allow the rules to go into effect while the decision was being considered. The rules included a requirement for hand-counting ballots at each precinct by three separate county officials and a provision for certifying election results only after a 'reasonable inquiry' into their accuracy.
Plaintiffs in the case included civil rights groups like the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP and Eternal Vigilance, as well as a current and a former state official. The state Supreme Court acknowledged the gravity and public importance of the case and decided to take it up despite lacking jurisdiction over the motion.
The SEB measures, passed in a 3-2 decision on Sept. 20, were challenged by the plaintiffs, arguing that the SEB did not have the authority to make such rules. The ACLU, representing the plaintiffs, criticized the measures for potentially causing chaos in the democratic system just before the November election.
While the court's ruling is pending, a separate Fulton County Superior Court decision has temporarily delayed the implementation of the hand-count ballot rule. Democrats accused GOP officials of trying to disrupt the election process, while Republicans defended the rules as necessary for election security.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, early voting in Georgia has already broken records, with over 1 million ballots cast. The court's decision will have significant implications for the upcoming election and the state's election regulations.
