Local Georgia election boards gain power to refuse to certify elections

( NewsNation ) — The Georgia State Election Board has approved a new rule that may let local elections officials refuse or delay certification of their vote counts. The board’s three Republicans voted for the rule change, while the lone Democrat and the non-partisan board chair voted against it.

The new rule allows local election officials to conduct “reasonable inquiry” that “the results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast in that election.” The change contradicts Georgia state law, which says that officials “shall” certify an election.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says local election officials do not have the option to refuse to certify.

“Georgia’s Election Integrity Act requires counties to certify the election results by November 12th and we fully anticipate that counties will follow the law,” he wrote on his office’s official X account.

Democrats call the rule change the latest act by supporters of former President Donald Trump to sew the seeds of doubt about the November election months ahead of time.

“As things stand right now, there’s zero chance of a free and fair election,” Heritage Foundation official Mike Howell said last month. “I’m formally accusing the Biden administration of creating the conditions that most reasonable policymakers and officials cannot in good conscience certify an election.”

Republicans have also filed suits in some states to restrict laws governing voting by mail, and suits giving local election officials the same sort of authority the new Georgia rule allows.

Republicans say their goal is to strengthen the country’s patchwork election system and built trust. Democrats and civil rights advocates say the GOP is trying to construct excuses to dispute results they don’t like.

“The board’s anti-democratic majority has aligned itself with the election denial movement to advance partisan rules designed to cause confusion on Election Day, delay the certification of votes, and benefit one candidate in November,” said Chioma Chukwu, interim director of the watchdog group American Oversight. “This should alarm all Americans, not just Georgia voters,” he added.

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