Georgia's secretary of state and the chairman of the State Election Board have instructed all state and local election officials to disregard seven new rules that were recently overturned by a state judge. The invalidated rules included requirements for conducting a 'reasonable inquiry' into election results before certification and examining election-related documentation prior to certification.
The decision to ignore these rules comes after a ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox, which also struck down other provisions such as mandating hand-counting of ballots at polling places and expanding poll watchers' access.
Democrats have expressed concerns that these rules could potentially lead to delays or refusals in certifying election results. The State Election Board chairman and the general counsel for the secretary of state issued a memo stating that counties are not obligated to follow the overturned rules for the 2024 General Election and that any previous guidance should be disregarded.
State and national Republicans, who intervened in the case to defend the rules, have appealed the ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court. The ongoing legal battle underscores the contentious nature of election rules and procedures in the state.
