Photo by Elliott Stallion
Last week, Georgia blocked Trump-backed election rules that had been recently passed by the State Election Board. Of the seven rules implemented, three gained immense pushback, which included one that required ballots to be counted by hand after polls close and two that dealt with the certification of election results.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox, who decided on the case, determined that these rules were “illegal, unconstitutional and void.” He claims that they were inconsistent with Georgia’s Election Code and that the State Election Board had overstepped their authority. The election rules were immediately declared void and will not be followed by election officials. The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously blocked Republicans’ appeal to this decision.
In a state where President Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump by less than 12,000 votes, this ruling is critical.
Legal experts and activists say that if the election rules had not been rejected, voting rights would have been significantly damaged in a state that is vital to the election. Some argue that the election rules would have allowed Trump allies to set back or completely prevent the certification of the election. Because these rules could be used by Trump-supporting county election officials, it could have ignited “a legal firestorm at a time when statewide results would need to be certified.” Further, it could have led to significant doubts on election results nationally. Any sign of confusion to the process, including questions on election certification, could lead many to refuse the election results.
Others argued that the election rules were passed too close to Election Day, stating that it was already sparking confusion among the state. This chaos and turmoil would have only gotten worse when votes were casted.
The Harris campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Georgia state Democratic Party issued a joint statement to celebrate the ruling, stating “democracy is stronger thanks to this decision to block it.”
By stopping these seven unconstitutional election rules, Georgia seeks to maintain fair practices in voting and ensure a smoother election night.
