Republican efforts in Georgia to deny the local election results were rejected by the judge

Topline

A state judge in Georgia – where many Republican officials continue to falsely blame voter fraud for Donald Trump losing the state in 2020 – said local officials must certify election results even if they suspect there may be wrongdoing, undermining the efforts of the Republican election officials wiped out weeks before Georgia is likely to become a key battleground in the presidential election.

Important facts

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Crucial quote

“If, as plaintiff demands, election officials were free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury and judge and therefore refused – based on a unilateral finding of error or fraud – to certify election results, Georgia voters would be silenced McBurney wrote.

What you should pay attention to

The Journal-Constitution notes that a number of other cases involving Georgia’s election rules are pending in state court before Election Day, including controversial rules that allow officials to conduct a “proper investigation” of any alleged voting problems before they Confirm and demand election results The ballot papers must be counted by hand on election evening. Democrats have warned that Republicans could use the state’s new rules to sow distrust in vote counting and delay the certification of results.

Big number

46%. That’s the share of Georgia voters who support Vice President Kamala Harris compared to 45% who supported Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal poll released Friday. The two candidates were neck-and-neck in the battleground state ahead of the election, suggesting there could be razor-thin results.

Important background

Local election officials and their roles have become increasingly politicized in the wake of the 2020 election and Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud, as pro-Trump officials have taken it upon themselves to challenge election results or claim voter fraud. The left-leaning watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington found that 35 officials have refused to certify election results since 2020, affecting not just Georgia but also elections in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan regards. With Trump and his allies already hinting that they could challenge the results again if the former president loses, Democrats have sought to strengthen protections for vote counting and certification ahead of the election. In addition to the lawsuits against new rules in Georgia, election officials in Arizona told CNN they were “mov[ing]

to act aggressively to prevent any problems with the presidential election, including by prosecuting officials who have refused to certify results in the past. Michigan voters also approved a constitutional amendment in 2022 that, among other things, requires officials to certify elections based on votes cast, and the North Carolina State Board of Elections fired officials who refused to certify elections.

Further reading

ForbesGeorgia 2024 Trump-Harris polls: Harris surprisingly leads by one point in new pollFrom Sara Dorn
ForbesCould Georgia’s new rules impact the 2024 election? Here’s what you should know as Democrats challenge her in court:From Alison Durkee
ForbesThe Georgia Board of Elections orders ballots to be counted by hand, but studies show this is less reliableFrom Ty Roush