DNC and Democratic Party of Georgia Sue State Election Board
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Democratic Party of Georgia have initiated a lawsuit against the state election board. This move has received support from Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.
New Rule Challenged
The lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, challenges a recently approved rule that grants local officials more power to investigate votes post-election day. This rule allows any member of a county board of election to examine all election-related documentation before the certification of results.
Details of the New Rule
According to the new rule, the board of elections in each county is required to meet no later than 3pm on the Friday following the election. The purpose of this meeting is to compare the total number of unique voter ID numbers in each precinct with the number of total ballots cast in the precinct. Until the investigation is resolved, votes in each precinct cannot be counted. If the results cannot be reconciled, the board is authorized to determine a method to compute the votes justly.
Democrats' Concerns
Democrats argue that the new rules could lead to chaos in the November elections. The lawsuit claims that the new rules will give local election officials broad license to search for supposed election irregularities of any kind. This could potentially delay certification and displace longstanding processes for addressing fraud.
Republican Stance
The Republican-controlled State Election Board has been actively implementing new procedures ahead of the election. They argue that these procedures give local boards the power to conduct a reasonable inquiry into elections before certifying them. However, the lawsuit argues that these new rules create an impression that local election officials have discretionary power over certifying election results.
Impact on Certification
The lawsuit requests the court to clearly state that certification is mandatory and cannot be delayed by election officials. It also claims that delaying certification could result in mass disenfranchisement of eligible, registered Georgians.
Reaction from GOP Secretary of State
The election integrity rules have been criticized by GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He argued that last-minute changes undermine confidence in elections and burden election workers.
Bottom Line
This lawsuit and the new rules it challenges raise important questions about the balance between ensuring voter integrity and preventing potential chaos or delays in election certification. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think the new rules could lead to chaos or do they ensure better election integrity? Share your thoughts and this article with your friends. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
