Georgia Republicans Threaten Lawsuit Over Extended Election Office Hours

New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation U.S. presidential primary election is held at the Medallion Opera House in Gorham

Georgia Republicans have issued a threat to sue Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold, after the county announced extended hours for election offices on Friday. The decision to open four election offices over the weekend was made to accommodate voters who wish to hand-return their absentee ballots.

The Georgia GOP claims that this move violates state law, which stipulates that all drop boxes should be closed when the advance voting period ends. The party expressed concern that the locations of the election offices in Fulton County may favor Democratic candidates, potentially impacting the outcome of future elections.

Fulton County, along with several others, had previously announced that election offices would remain open over the weekend for voters to submit their existing absentee ballots in person. Unlike drop boxes, which allow for contactless submission of absentee ballots, in-person submission involves direct interaction at the election office.

Despite the GOP's objections, NPR reported that there is no illegality in keeping election offices open for absentee ballot submissions over the weekend, as these are not considered drop boxes.

Extended hours for absentee ballot submissions in Fulton County spark legal dispute.

Georgia GOP threatens lawsuit against Fulton County over extended election office hours.

Georgia GOP claims extended hours violate state law on drop box closure.

This development follows a recent court ruling in Fulton County, where a judge rejected a Republican request to hire more GOP poll workers for Election Day. The Republicans had alleged that the county did not hire a sufficient number of Republican poll workers for early voting and Election Day, but the judge declined to order emergency measures to address this issue.

Fulton County has witnessed a significant voter turnout during Georgia's early voting period, with over 439,000 active voters casting absentee or early in-person ballots. The demographic breakdown shows a higher turnout among women compared to men, and a notable participation rate among White and Black voters in the county.

In the context of the 2020 election, where former President Trump narrowly lost Georgia to President Biden, the ongoing disputes over election procedures in Fulton County underscore the political tensions surrounding voting practices in the state.