Democrats sue to block new GOP-backed Georgia election certification rules

Democrats on Monday sued to block controversial new election rules in Georgia that they warned could lead to post-election “chaos” in the presidential battleground state in November.

Democrats, with the backing of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, on Monday sued to block controversial new election rules in Georgia that they warned could lead to post-election “chaos” in the presidential battleground state in November. The lawsuit, filed in Georgia state court by the Democratic National Committee, the Georgia Democratic Party and Democratic members of several county election boards, takes aim at two rules passed recently by the Georgia State Election Board that allow election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying election results and permit members of county election boards to investigate ballot counts. The lawsuit marks a significant escalation of a controversy that has been brewing for weeks over the action of three Republican members of the state elections board, who recently won praise from former President Donald Trump for their moves. Trump lost Georgia by just over 10,000 votes in 2020, and it was at the center of his attempt to overturn the election with claims of voter fraud, though none was found. Democrats are seeking a court ruling that makes clear that election superintendents do not have the discretion to delay the certification of election results or to refuse to certify the results altogether. They are asking for the court to declare that “absent a valid judicial order to the contrary, election superintendents must certify the results of the November 5, 2024 election no later than 5:00 P.M. on November 12, 2024.”