National and state Republicans have appealed a judge’s ruling that deemed seven election rules recently passed by Georgia’s State Election Board as “illegal, unconstitutional, and void.” The ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox invalidated rules related to hand-counting ballots, certification of election results, providing signatures and photo IDs for absentee ballots, video surveillance of ballot drop boxes, poll watcher access, and daily updates on early voting turnout.
The Republican National Committee and Georgia Republican Party are challenging the decision, calling it an act of “judicial activism” and accusing the judge of siding with Democrats to undermine election integrity. The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit by Eternal Vigilance Action, criticizing the State Election Board for overstepping its authority in adopting the rules.
Democrats and voting rights groups celebrated the ruling as a victory, expressing concerns that the rules could be exploited by supporters of former President Trump to dispute election results in favor of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite objections from county election officials and the board’s lone Democrat, the Republican-appointed majority passed the rules, leading to widespread criticism.
The appeal seeks to reinstate the rules and ensure that “commonsense rules are in place for the election.” The ongoing legal battle surrounding election procedures and transparency underscores the contentious nature of voting laws and procedures in Georgia, with implications for future elections in the state.
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