The Georgia Supreme Court delivered a major decision for election integrity on Monday, ruling that absentee ballots arriving after Election Day in Cobb County cannot be counted. This ruling enforces the Election Day deadline for absentee ballots in the Democrat-led county and strengthens transparency in the battleground state, where President Donald Trump is favored.
The issue began when Cobb County, due to high demand, delayed mailing over 3,000 absentee ballots requested by the deadline. Although county officials took steps to expedite the ballots’ return, a lower court ruling extended the acceptance deadline by three days, prompting an immediate response from Republicans.
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 the Georgia GOP challenged the ruling, arguing that state law requires absentee ballots to be returned by the end of Election Day. They contended that extending the deadline would violate Georgia’s election laws and create potential inconsistencies in ballot handling.
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
The Georgia Supreme Court agreed with the RNC’s argument, pausing the lower court’s ruling and ordering the late ballots to be separated. The court’s decision reinforces the original deadline and prevents ballots arriving after Election Day from being counted.
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley celebrated the decision, stating, “Election Day is Election Day — not the week after.” With Trump seen as having strong support in Georgia, the decision is viewed as an important step in maintaining election integrity in a key state that could impact the national outcome.
