Georgia judge denies GOP bid to shut down Fulton County ballot drop-off sites News
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Georgia judge denies GOP bid to shut down Fulton County ballot drop-off sites

A Georgia judge dismissed a Republican-led lawsuit on Saturday aimed at stopping counties from opening election offices over the weekend and letting voters hand in their mail ballots in person. The lawsuit specifically targeted Fulton County — a Democratic hub covering most of Atlanta and representing 11% of the state’s electorate. However, other large counties with Democratic leanings also announced they would open election offices over the weekend and allow voters to hand-deliver their absentee ballots.

Fulton County announced that four election offices would be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 2 and 3, allowing voters to hand-return their absentee ballots. In response, the Fulton County Republican Party filed the lawsuit, claiming that this move violates provisions of state law that require all drop boxes to close after early voting ended on Friday.

At an emergency hearing on Saturday, attorney Alex Kaufman, representing the plaintiffs, argued that voters should not be allowed to hand-deliver absentee ballots over the weekend, despite being allowed to return ballots by mail. He claimed that hand delivery should not be permitted between the close of early voting on Friday and Election Day on Tuesday, even though Georgia election offices have long accepted mail ballots over the counter.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer repeatedly dismissed Kaufman’s arguments before delivering his ruling, concluding, “I find that it is not a violation…for a voter to hand-return their absentee ballots.”

Following the hearing, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) clarified on X: “Under state law, election officials can receive absentee ballots in person at [government] facilities if the county chooses. Several counties have chosen to do this.” He assured the public that the state is “working with the counties and the political parties to ensure this is done transparently and within Georgia law.”

Fulton County voters still have time to hand in their absentee ballots either in person this weekend or by 7 p.m. on Election Night.

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