Tuesday, October 15

STARTING SOON: Join us tonight at 7 p.m. ET for a live virtual podcast recording with Marc Elias and Al Franken on the state of politics leading up to the election, Al’s career as a politician and more. As a reminder, this event is for members only so be sure to upgrade now so you don’t miss out!

Election officials in Georgia must certify results

• In a win for voters, a Georgia judge ruled yesterday that certifying election results is a mandatory duty for election officials under state law. This crucial ruling comes amid concerns about certification in the battleground state this November.

  
  

• This decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Fulton County Board of Elections and Registration member Julie Adams (R) who refused to certify the county's May primary results.

  
  

• Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who issued this ruling, also heard a case earlier this month challenging rules passed by the Georgia State Election Board that could delay certification.

  
  

Georgia State Election Board faces barrage of lawsuits

• The Georgia State Election Board has passed many controversial rules since August that could affect elections this year. Check out Democracy Docket’s up-to-date guide to keep track of all the rules and the seven lawsuits the board faces from Democrats, Republicans and county officials.

  
  

• Tomorrow, there will be hearings held in two lawsuits against the board:

  
  

  • One in a GOP challenge against four election rules recently passed by the board that could delay certification. The plaintiffs argued that the rules are unconstitutional and asked the court to block them.

    
    

  • Another in a lawsuit filed by the Democratic National Committee challenging the board’s new rule requiring poll workers to hand count the total number of ballots cast on Election Day. The Democrats alleged that the rule violates numerous state election laws.

    
    

Arizona Supreme Court orders judges to prioritize post-election cases

• The Arizona Supreme Court ordered all trial court judges in the state to prioritize post-election cases and set a deadline for any potential appeals, in anticipation of an onslaught of litigation filed after the November election.

Since Jan. 1, 2023

The latest on voting rights in Ohio

• The Ohio Supreme Court ruled 4-3 today to uphold Secretary of State Frank LaRose's (R) new directive that limits who can return an absentee ballot via drop box. The court says the lawsuit was brought too late.

  
  

• The U.S. Department of Justice announced it will monitor elections in Portage County, Ohio to ensure compliance with federal anti-voter intimidation laws after the county's sheriff urged residents to mark down the addresses of homes with Vice President Kamala Harris yard signs.

  
  

North Carolina allocates $5 million to election board post-hurricane

• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) signed a hurricane relief bill into law last week, allocating $5 million to the State Board of Elections to make accommodations for voters impacted by Hurricane Helene.

  
  

New anti-voting lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania and Virginia

• Virginia election officials in Waynesboro County filed a lawsuit saying they will refuse to certify the November election unless they are allowed to hand count ballots.

  
  

• A Pennsylvania voter filed a lawsuit challenging Montgomery County's new mobile voter services van, which travels across the county allowing voters to register, return completed ballots and more. The plaintiff says this voting van violates state law.