November 3, 2024
The Republican National Committee (RNC) secured access for its poll watchers to monitor election activities in four key Georgia counties after filing a lawsuit that alleged violations of state election law. RNC Chairman Michael Whatley confirmed on Saturday that, following a “pressure campaign,” Republican poll watchers were finally allowed to observe absentee ballot processing in Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties, which had extended their office hours to accept ballots over the weekend.
The legal action by the RNC came as officials in these heavily Democratic-leaning areas extended election office hours beyond the advance voting period, sparking accusations that the counties were violating Georgia law. Under state regulations, absentee ballot drop boxes must close when early voting concludes. The GOP argued that the decision to keep ballot drop boxes open over the weekend disregarded these legal requirements and raised concerns about transparency.
“This is a blatant violation of Georgia law… which states ‘all drop boxes shall be closed when the advance voting period ends,’” the Georgia Republican Party stated on Friday. “To make matters worse, the four election office locations are situated in areas of the county that will clearly favor Democrat candidates” (Fox News, Washington Examiner).
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley criticized local Democratic officials, accusing them of “playing fast and loose with election law” and noted that the counties had initially denied Republican poll watchers entry. “Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties decided at the last minute to accept ballots over the weekend—disregarding the law. 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,” Whatley said on X (formerly Twitter).
According to emails reportedly sent by the Fulton County Registration Manager, staff were instructed to keep Republican poll watchers outside the building, suggesting they could only observe from the parking lot (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
The RNC filed a lawsuit demanding access, stating that it was crucial for Republican poll watchers to be present to ensure transparency. “The Democrats know they can’t win unless they cheat,” the Georgia GOP’s statement asserted, expressing concern that unsupervised ballot drop-offs could lead to questionable practices.
The recent ruling allowing Cobb County voters to submit absentee ballots until November 8, three days after Election Day, also raised concerns. At least 1,000 absentee ballots sent to out-of-state voters were delayed, compounding the GOP’s apprehensions over election oversight (Fox News).
In response to the RNC’s lawsuit, Georgia state senators, including Greg Dolezal and Brandon Beach, arrived at Fulton County’s election offices and were ultimately granted access to monitor the process. Senator Dolezal confirmed, “I am in communication with the Secretary of State’s office and my Senate colleagues… the Secretary has sent investigators to all four locations” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
The ongoing situation underscores the heightened tension as Election Day approaches, with the RNC emphasizing adherence to election law and transparency, especially in contested battleground states like Georgia. The RNC’s success in gaining poll-watcher access underscores its commitment to overseeing a transparent voting process.
