A judge in Georgia dismissed a Republican lawsuit seeking to block voters from hand-returning mail-in ballots in the state over the weekend. The lawsuit centered around officials in Fulton County opening county offices on Saturday and Sunday to allow voters to hand in their ballots, despite early voting ending on Friday. While state law prohibits ballot drop boxes from being open past the end of advance voting, voters can hand in mail ballots until polls close on Tuesday. Despite arguments from a GOP lawyer, the judge ruled in favor of allowing voters to hand-return their absentee ballots, citing no violation of state code sections.
The lawsuit was filed following the announcement that Democratic-leaning counties, including Fulton County, would have county offices open for voters to hand in mail-in ballots over the weekend. This move was seen as a push to increase voter turnout in these areas. A spokesperson for Fulton County reported that only a few dozen ballots had been returned to the open county offices. Former President Trump, who narrowly lost Georgia to President Biden in the 2020 election, has accused Fulton County of fraud without evidence. Both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have been actively campaigning in Georgia, which is now considered a battleground state.
The decision to keep the county offices open for voters to hand-deliver their mail-in ballots has been met with opposition from Republicans, who argue that ballots should not be hand-delivered after early voting has ended. However, the judge ruled that there was no violation of state law in allowing voters to hand-return their absentee ballots until polls close on Tuesday night. This ruling comes amidst a contentious political climate in Georgia, as both major parties strive to secure votes in the upcoming election.
The opening of county offices over the weekend in Democratic-leaning counties in Georgia was a strategic move to encourage voter turnout in these areas. The lawsuit filed by Republicans sought to prevent voters from hand-delivering their mail-in ballots after early voting had ended. Despite the arguments made in court by a GOP lawyer, the judge ruled in favor of allowing voters to hand-return their absentee ballots until polls close on Tuesday. This decision has led to tension between political parties, as Georgia is seen as a battleground state in the upcoming election.
Former President Trump’s loss in Georgia to President Biden by a narrow margin in 2020 has led to accusations of fraud in Fulton County. Both Trump and Vice President Harris have been actively campaigning in Georgia in an effort to secure votes. The decision to keep county offices open for voters to hand in their mail-in ballots over the weekend was seen as a crucial step in increasing voter participation in the state. Despite legal challenges, the judge’s ruling allowing voters to hand-return their absentee ballots has paved the way for a potentially high turnout in the upcoming election in Georgia.
