The Republican National Committee secured a significant legal victory for election integrity on Monday in a Democrat-run county outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Cobb County, the third largest country in the state, cannot accept absentee ballots after the Election Day deadline, according to RNC chairman Michael Whatley.
‘Election Day is Election Day.’
In a Monday afternoon post on X, he wrote, “HUGE election integrity victory in Georgia.”
He explained that the county wanted to accept 3,000 late absentee ballots, but the court has blocked it.
“We just got word that we WON the case. Election Day is Election Day — not the week after,” Whatley stated. “We will keep fighting, keep winning, and keep sharing updates.”
RNC co-chair Lara Trump called it a “YUGE victory.”
Last week, Cobb County officials admitted they were behind in mailing out more than 3,000 absentee ballots. Approximately a third of those ballots were requested by people outside of Georgia.
Board of Elections Chairwoman Tori Silas blamed faulty equipment and a surge in late requests in the days leading up to the October 25 deadline, the Associated Press reported.
“We want to maintain voter trust by being transparent about the situation,” Silas said. “We are taking every possible step to get these ballots to the voters who requested them.”
Georgia’s early voting period ran from October 15 through November 1. However, some counties sought to extend hours for turning in absentee ballots in violation of the state’s laws.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stated, “Under state law, election officials can receive absentee ballots in person at govt facilities if the county chooses. Several counties have chosen to do this. We are working with the counties and the political parties to ensure this is done transparently and within Georgia law.”
The RNC filed a lawsuit last week against several blue counties in Georgia, Blaze News previously reported.
On Saturday, Whatley accused Democratic officials of “playing fast and loose with election law.”
“Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties decided at the last minute to accept ballots over the weekend — which disregards the law,” he explained. “They have also failed to let our poll observers in to watch the process. The Secretary of State has issued guidance to allow Republican poll watchers in but local officials REFUSE.”
The counties’ refusal to allow poll watchers extended to both Republicans and Democrats, Fox News Digital reported.
Later that same day, Whatley provided an update, stating that the RNC’s poll watchers were being allowed into voting locations in all four counties.
Lara Trump also provided an update on the matter, writing on X, “Working with the [Georgia Secretary of State] and [state Attorney General], we have been able to confirm that our observers WILL be allowed in the room while these ballots are being processed.”
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