In a significant legal move, DeKalb County is challenging new rules from Georgia's State Election Board, filing a petition to stop measures they believe could disrupt the upcoming general election on Nov. 5. Among the contested rules are requirements for hand-counting votes, more poll watcher locations, and daily reports on early voting activity, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
DeKalb County's legal challenge coincided with a Fulton County judge's ruling, which blocked seven of the contested rules, including the three DeKalb is challenging. The judge deemed them "illegal, unconstitutional, and void," stating they were unsupported by the state's Election Code and beyond the State Election Board's authority. Judge Thomas Cox's decision rejects administrative overreach, ordering an immediate halt to these rules and notifying relevant officials not to enforce them, as detailed in coverage from FOX 5 Atlanta.
The Republican National Committee quickly challenged the ruling, with RNC Chairman Michael Whatley criticizing the judge for "the very worst of judicial activism." He claimed that Judge Cox was biased against transparency, accountability, and the integrity of elections. The RNC plans to appeal the judge's decision, indicating a political battle as intense as the legal one, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Former state Rep. Scot Turner, the Republican founder of Eternal Vigilance Action, which initiated the lawsuit leading to Cox's ruling, praised the decision, saying, "It was a complete and total victory for the Constitution of the United States." He emphasized that the case reflects a bipartisan concern for constitutional checks and balances and noted that the fight against these rules goes beyond party lines, according to an interview with AP News.
Critics, including county election officials and the Democratic Party, have expressed concerns about the practical effects of these rules, fearing delays and undermining voter confidence, especially with the election approaching. The Georgia Supreme Court has not yet announced whether it will hear the appeal, leaving significant uncertainty regarding the upcoming electoral process, as mentioned by AP News.
