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Georgia Judge Rules Election Officials Must Certify Results, Even If Fraud Suspected

Oct 15, 2024, 02:53 PM

A Georgia judge has ruled that county election officials must certify election results, regardless of suspicions of fraud or miscounts. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney declared that certification of election results is mandatory under Georgia law, emphasizing that no election superintendent or member of a board of elections and registration may refuse to certify or abstain from certifying election results under any circumstance. This ruling is seen as a significant defeat for election deniers and a victory for voters in Georgia. The judge stated that the duty of election officials to certify the outcome is 'ministerial.' The decision also denies the Georgia NAACP's request for a voter registration extension. Concerns of fraud or abuse are to be settled in court, not by county officials acting unilaterally. This ruling comes just weeks before the November 5 presidential election.