In a move celebrated by election integrity advocates, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that absentee ballots arriving after Election Day in Cobb County will not be counted. This ruling in the Democrat-run county ensures that absentee ballots must follow the state’s Election Day deadline, a key requirement in maintaining transparency in the battleground state of Georgia.
The case arose after Cobb County acknowledged delays in mailing over 3,000 absentee ballots, which had been requested by the October deadline. Although the county tried to mitigate the delay by overnighting the ballots, a Cobb County judge ruled that late ballots could be accepted until November 8, three days after Election Day.
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 Georgia GOP quickly appealed the ruling, arguing that state law clearly sets Election Day as the final deadline. They emphasized that maintaining strict deadlines is crucial for election integrity, especially in a competitive state like Georgia. The Georgia Supreme Court sided with the RNC, halting the lower court’s decision and ordering the late ballots to be set aside.
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 hailed the decision as a win for accountability, stating, “Election Day is Election Day — not the week after.”
With Georgia expected to be close and President Donald Trump favored, the court’s ruling underscores the importance of strict adherence to voting rules in battleground states. This decision could have significant implications as the state’s results may be closely watched nationwide.
