The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Georgia Republican Party have filed a lawsuit against seven Democratic-leaning Georgia counties, accusing them of violating state law by allowing hand-returned absentee ballots to be delivered after the early voting cutoff. The lawsuit, submitted Sunday in federal court, targets Athens-Clarke, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties for accepting ballots over the weekend and into Monday, following the end of early voting last Friday.

Allegations of State Law Violations

The GOP plaintiffs argue that the counties disregarded Georgia’s statutory cutoff for early voting by keeping their offices open to accept in-person absentee ballots beyond the official deadline. According to Georgia law, absentee ballots — with the exception of those from overseas or military voters — must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The Republicans claim that by extending ballot return hours, the counties provided an unauthorized extension, undermining the state’s election process.

“The law is clear — the period of advance voting is over,” the RNC and Georgia GOP stated. “The counties’ actions violate state law.” The complaint alleges that these counties circumvented the advance voting deadline by continuing to collect hand-returned absentee ballots past the early voting period.

Legal Proceedings and Ballot Sequestration Request

U.S. District Judge Stan Baker did not rule on the lawsuit’s merits before Election Day, leaving the counties’ ballot collection plans intact. However, the Republican groups have requested that any hand-returned absentee ballots collected after Friday be kept separate from other ballots, potentially allowing for further legal challenges or scrutiny of these ballots.

This lawsuit underscores ongoing tensions around absentee ballot rules in Georgia, where recent legislative changes have aimed to tighten deadlines and increase election security. The GOP’s legal challenge could set a precedent for future cases concerning absentee ballot handling and adherence to voting deadlines across Georgia and other states.