Fulton Judge Strikes Down Seven New Election Rules, Including Hand-Counting of Ballots After Polls Close and Mandatory Video Surveillance of Drop Boxes, Claiming It is “Illegal, Unconstitutional and Void”

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox struck down seven new election rules on Wednesday, The Superior Court of Fulton County has effectively nullified crucial voting rules established by Georgia’s State Election Board (SEB) with its recent ruling.

The SEB had previously implemented rules that required enhanced verification measures, such as signature matching and video surveillance of ballot drop boxes, all in an effort to curb election fraud and provide confidence in election results.

But Judge Cox’s ruling, which declares these rules unconstitutional and void, opens the floodgates to potential chaos and voter fraud just weeks before the critical 2024 election.

This ruling is nothing short of a disgraceful act of judicial activism.

The court has sided with a so-called ‘conservative’ organizations like Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc., and two Republicans, former state Rep. Scot Turner and Chatham County election board member James Hall, who brought the suit, claiming that these simple, commonsense rules somehow violated the state constitution.

What they really mean, of course, is that any attempt to secure elections is a threat to their political agenda. The plaintiffs argued that the SEB overstepped its authority, and Judge Cox was all too willing to oblige.

This ruling eliminates several SEB rules that ensured the integrity of absentee ballots and poll monitoring.

Specifically, the court invalidated the SEB’s rule requiring a photo ID and signature verification when absentee ballots are dropped off, a measure that anyone concerned with fair elections would support.

But according to the court, these rules were “unsupported by Georgia’s Election Code.” In reality, this is just another example of liberal judges undermining election security to benefit their favored political outcomes.

Below are the key rules issued by the State Election Board (SEB) in Georgia that allegedly exceed the boundaries established by the state’s Election Code, O.C.G.A. § 21-2, rendering them both unlawful and void.

1. Certification of Election Returns

One key issue arises with SEB Rule 183-1-12-.02(c.2), which requires superintendents to “attest, after reasonable inquiry” that election tabulations are accurate before certifying results.

2. Documentation Access Prior to Certification

While the Election Code dictates specific methods for handling election-related documents, SEB Rule 183-1-12-.12 grants individual county board members expanded access to documents prior to certification.

3. Absentee Ballot Delivery Protocol

SEB Rule 183-1-14-.02(18) mandates the presentation of a signature and photo ID when absentee ballots are delivered.

4. Surveillance of Drop Boxes

SEB Rule 183-1-14-.02(19) introduces a video surveillance requirement for drop boxes after polling closes, along with potential removal if conditions are unmet.

5. Poll Watching Area Expansion

This rule increases mandatory poll-watching zones to include additional ballot processing areas.

6. Reporting Requirements for Absentee Ballots

This rule imposes extra requirements on county boards for reporting absentee ballot information, including weekend reporting and partisan breakdowns.

7. Ballot Hand-Counting Requirement

The SEB rule mandates hand-counting of ballots post-polling.

According to Cox, “Because this Court has determined that SEB Rules 183-1-12.02(c.2), 183-1-12.12(.1)(6), 183-1-14-.02(18), 183-1-14-.02(19), 183-1-13-.05, 183-1-12-.21, and 183-1-12-.12(a)(5) are contrary to the laws of the State of Georgia, the Constitution of the State of Georgia, and the Constitution of the United States and that the SEB had no authority to implement these rules, the Court here DECLARES THAT THESE RULES ARE ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID.”

This ruling comes after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney has delayed a pivotal new rule from the Georgia State Election Board that mandates the hand-counting of ballots at the precinct level until after the election.

Read more:

INSANITY: Judge Temporarily Blocks Georgia Rule Requiring Counties to Hand-Count Ballots

These rulings demonstrate just how far left-wing judicial activism has infiltrated the very heart of our democracy. Instead of securing elections and making sure every legal vote counts, rulings like this create chaos, stifle transparency, and cast a shadow over the very process that should unite Americans in the common cause of civic participation.

You can read the ruling below:

The post Fulton Judge Strikes Down Seven New Election Rules, Including Hand-Counting of Ballots After Polls Close and Mandatory Video Surveillance of Drop Boxes, Claiming It is “Illegal, Unconstitutional and Void” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.