Supreme Court Blocks Late Absentee Ballots In Key Battleground Georgia
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday that Cobb County cannot count absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day, a significant decision that election integrity advocates view as essential for transparency in this battleground state. The ruling comes as Georgia remains a high-stakes state where President Donald Trump is favored.
Cobb County reported delays in mailing out over 3,000 absentee ballots requested by the deadline, attributing the backlog to a spike in demand in the final week. Although county officials attempted to remedy the situation by sending out the ballots via express mail, a Cobb County judge permitted ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrived by November 8.
MAJOR GA SUPREME COURT CASE DECIDED
Cobb County didn't get ballots out as quickly as they should have and tried to change the rules of the game. GA GOP wasn't having it.@JoshMcKoon @JFRadioShow pic.twitter.com/UQWQgkMtBq— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) November 5, 2024
The Republican National Committee and the Georgia GOP appealed this ruling, arguing that Georgia law requires ballots to be returned by the close of polls on Election Day. They emphasized that following clear deadlines is crucial for maintaining election integrity, particularly in a highly contested state like Georgia.
The Georgia Supreme Court agreed with the GOP’s appeal, temporarily halting the lower court’s ruling and mandating that ballots arriving after Election Day be segregated. The decision upholds the Election Day cutoff, ensuring that late-arriving ballots are excluded from the count.
BREAKING: The Georgia Supreme Court just ruled that ballots cannot be accepted and counted AFTER the deadline by election officials anywhere in the state
Democrats in Cobb County wanted to accept 3,000 mail-in ballots AFTER Election Day deadline, but the Court just shut down… pic.twitter.com/ML7AtOY7Dm
— George (@BehizyTweets) November 4, 2024
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley celebrated the decision, stating, “We just got word that we WON the case. Election Day is Election Day — not the week after.” The court’s ruling is a critical step in preserving a fair process in this election.
With Trump’s campaign focused on securing Georgia, a strong turnout on Election Day and adherence to ballot deadlines are seen as critical factors that could influence the outcome of this pivotal state.