Georgia GOP threatens lawsuit against deep-blue Fulton County over extended absentee voting
Fulton County is home to deep-blue Atlanta
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Georgia Republicans are vowing to sue the Democratic stronghold of Fulton County after it announced extended elections office hours on Friday.
The threat came after the state GOP learned that election officials in the county, which includes Atlanta, are planning to open four election offices this weekend ‘to accommodate voters seeking to hand-return their absentee ballots.'
"This is a blatant violation of Georgia law . . . which states ‘all drop boxes shall be closed when the advance voting period ends,’" the Georgia GOP said in a statement late on Friday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fulton County is expected to be key to Democrats’ chances of winning Georgia again in 2024 – something that Republicans alluded to in their statement.
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Early voting in Georgia has smashed the state's previous records. (Getty Images)
"To make matters worse, the four election office locations are situated in areas of the county that will clearly favor Democrat candidates," the statement said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fulton County was one of several to announce it would keep election offices open this weekend for voters turning in their existing absentee ballots in-person.
Drop boxes are a way for voters to turn in their absentee ballots at elections offices without human contact, which is different from submitting them in person at the office itself.
Drop boxes were available through Georgia’s early voting period from Oct. 15 through Nov. 1.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But Republicans are arguing that the extended hours for turning in absentee ballots over the weekend run afoul of the state’s rules.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement that counties are allowed to accept absentee ballots turned into their offices in-person if they choose.
"Under state law, election officials can receive absentee ballots in person at govt facilities if the county chooses. Several counties have chosen to do this. We are working with the counties and the political parties to ensure this is done transparently and within Georgia law," Raffensperger said.
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President Joe Biden won Georgia by less than 1% in 2020 (Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Fulton County government and Kamala Harris presidential campaign for comment.
NPR reporter Stephen Fowler wrote on X of the lawsuit threat, "Multiple counties are doing it, and there's nothing illegal about it – these aren't drop boxes."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It comes after a Fulton County Superior Court judge rejected Republicans’ bid to force the county to hire more Republican poll workers for Election Day on Tuesday.
State, federal and local Republican parties accused the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections of not hiring enough GOP poll workers. They alleged that nine out of 45 qualified applicants were hired to help with early voting, while just six of 62 were hired for Election Day, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Judge Kevin Farmer said the case would be looked at further but declined to order emergency measures to force more Republican poll workers in by Tuesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fulton County has seen more than 439,000 active voters cast absentee or early in-person ballots during Georgia’s early voting period.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A significant majority of those were women over men – 55.9% to 43.8%.
Roughly 72% of the county’s White voters turned out during that period, as well as 49% of Black active voters there.
Former President Trump lost Georgia to President Biden by less than 12,000 votes in 2020.
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