The Georgia Supreme Court has denied a request from the Republican Party to immediately reinstate newly passed ballot rules by the State Election Board (SEB), which had been blocked by a lower court ruling.
The court's decision means that the ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Cox, Jr., declaring the measures "illegal, unconstitutional, and void," will remain in place through Election Day.
The contested rules included requirements for ballots at each precinct to be hand-counted by three separate county officials to verify their total against machine-tabulated numbers, and a provision requiring county boards to certify election results only after a "reasonable inquiry" into their accuracy.
Despite denying the immediate reinstatement, the Georgia Supreme Court has agreed to hear an expedited appeal from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and other parties involved, recognising the "issues of gravity and public importance" in the case.
The SEB had initially passed the controversial rules in a 3-2 vote, with the majority of Republican-appointed members supporting the changes.
As Election Day nears, early voting in Georgia has already reached record-breaking numbers just one week after the process began.
Source:
FOX NEWS
