SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by local Republicans Wednesday. It invalidates recent election rule changes passed by the Georgia State Election Board.
Two of the major changes that were invalidated in light of this decision are that ballots will no longer have to be hand counted, and an undefined “reasonable inquiry” into election results before certification will no longer be an option.
The decision came just after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox.
In recent weeks, the Republican majority on the State Election Board passed the seven rules listed in the lawsuit, but Democrats have denounced them, claiming they would cause chaos on election day and could be misused to dispute the results.
The lawsuit that produced Wednesday’s verdict, though, was actually filed by Republicans.
“We could debate all day long whether or not each of these rules is a good idea or a bad idea. What we’re saying is it’s not the role of the state elections board to make these rules,” said James Hall, a plaintiff in the suit but also a member of the Chatham County Board of Elections.
News 3 spoke with him yesterday before the hearing.
“Whether we think the rules are a good idea or a bad idea is immaterial because it all goes back to separation of powers, and this is a regulatory board with unelected officials, and they simply don’t have the authority to make laws like the Georgia General Assembly does,” Hall said.
The other plaintiffs in the suit are Scot Turner, a former Republican state legislator, and his election advocacy organization “Eternal Vigilance Action.”
Other similar groups joined in to show support, like Right Count Georgia.
“We filed an amicus brief to support the lawsuit that the state election board has overreached their duties by basically trying to legislate election laws, instead of just carrying them out, that they crossed a line,” Eric Johnson, the Chairman of Right Count Georgia, said.
The suit from Hall and Turner isn’t the only one that’s been ruled on in the last few days.
A different Fulton county judge ruled late last night specifically that election staff in Georgia will not be required to hand count ballots.
Another ruling hours before that stated that election results be certified under all circumstances.
The other side can appeal any of these decisions, but there isn’t much time left until Election Day.
