A legal battle between Georgia’s state board of elections and Fulton County’s election office has escalated, setting the stage for a flurry of post-election lawsuits expected in November. Fulton County filed a lawsuit to block the state board from appointing 2020 election denialists to a monitoring team for the upcoming election. In response, the state board voted to subpoena records from the 2020 election in Fulton County.
The lawsuit argues that the state board does not have the authority to force the county to accept its monitoring team appointments, despite a previous agreement to hire monitors. The state board reprimanded the county for errors in the 2020 election, leading to the agreement for a monitoring team.
Georgia’s attorney general advised the state board that it cannot compel Fulton County to accept its monitors, as they are only required to retain election documents for two years. However, members of the state board are pushing for additional team members, including individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign’s election probe in Arizona.
The legal dispute comes amid accusations by the Georgia Republican Party that Fulton County has not hired enough Republican poll workers for the 2024 election. The party alleges that the county has not adhered to state law, which requires equal hiring from lists provided by political parties.
The situation has intensified with political tensions and implications of partisanship, as debates ensue over election challenges, monitor appointments, and poll worker hiring practices. The ongoing legal conflicts highlight the complex and contentious post-election landscape in Georgia.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com