A judge in Georgia has turned down a Republican-led attempt to prevent Fulton County from allowing voters to return absentee ballots in person over the weekend. The lawsuit, filed by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the state GOP, sought to bar Fulton County—a Democratic stronghold that includes most of Atlanta—from opening election offices on the weekend before Election Day to receive absentee ballots.
Republican Claims on Georgia’s Ballot Return Rules
The Republican lawsuit, filed late Friday, argued that Georgia law restricts ballot drop boxes from being accessible after early voting ends, which concluded on Friday. By opening four election offices over the weekend to allow hand-returned absentee ballots, the county was allegedly bypassing the law, according to GOP attorneys.
In a statement, Michael Whatley, chairman of the RNC, said, “Democrat officials in Georgia are playing fast and loose with election law,” criticizing the decision to open offices for weekend ballot returns. This move, according to GOP leaders, undermines election integrity and goes against the established rules for absentee ballot handling.
Judge Farmer’s Ruling and Legal Justification
However, Judge Kevin M. Farmer of the Superior Court of Fulton County disagreed, pointing to the same Georgia law that states voters may return absentee ballots directly to their county election offices until the polls close on Election Day. During the emergency hearing on Saturday, Farmer emphasized this provision, reading aloud from the law and noting that personal delivery to the registrar—as opposed to a drop box—is lawful.
“That seems to indicate that personal delivery to the registrar and not to a drop box is kosher,” Judge Farmer said, underscoring his interpretation that Fulton County’s weekend absentee ballot returns were within legal bounds.
This ruling was met with swift support from Dana Remus, lead attorney for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, who commented, “We’re committed to protecting the integrity of the election so that every legal vote will count—no matter what Trump says.”
Fulton County and the Broader Republican Challenge
Fulton County, which saw a narrow win for Joe Biden in 2020 by just under 12,000 votes, has become a focal point for Republicans challenging election procedures. The GOP lawsuit against the weekend ballot returns is part of a broader push by Republicans to contest voting rules and practices across Georgia.
The RNC and the Trump campaign have expressed intentions to bring similar suits in five additional Georgia counties where election offices permitted weekend absentee ballot drop-offs. According to the RNC, these measures allegedly bend election rules and unfairly impact the Republican vote.
Fulton County officials reported that a total of 105 absentee ballots were returned in person on Saturday, underscoring the small but significant number of voters who took advantage of the weekend option to ensure their ballots were received on time.
