A state judge in Georgia ruled that county election boards cannot refuse to certify election results, stating that concerns of fraud or abuse must be settled in court and not unilaterally by county officials. The judge emphasized that the law is clear when it says that county officials “shall” certify the results. The ruling comes in the wake of the 2020 election, during which former President Donald Trump and his allies pressured officials to block the certification of his loss. Since then, Republican members of the boards have turned the certification process into a political battleground. Republican member Julie Adams went to court claiming she was required to refuse certification if she believed the results were incorrect, but the judge ruled against her. Concerns have been raised over the potential for county officials in Georgia to block certification based on baseless conspiracy theories, especially following a Georgia State Election Board decision to allow local boards to conduct “reasonable inquiry” into election results. This ruling was celebrated by Georgia election officials, who are tasked with overseeing a record number of early votes in the battleground state, further emphasizing the importance of upholding the integrity of the election process.
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Judge rules that local election officials in Georgia must certify results
