Republicans Score Massive Last-Minute Election Win in Key Swing State

Republicans have scored another ballot box victory in a crucial swing state.

The Georgia Supreme Court sided with the Republican National Committee and the state’s Republican Party in a decision that overturned efforts to extend the absentee ballot deadline in Cobb County.

Last week, Cobb Elections announced that more than 3,000 absentee ballots had been mailed out after the state required deadline. Three residents filed suit to get their ballot acceptance deadline extended, as there was no other choice.

Cobb Superior Court Senior Judge Robert Flournoy found this to be sensible, extending the deadline for votes to be counted until Friday, November 8, so long as ballots were postmarked by Election Day. But the Georgia Supreme Court overruled him on Thursday, ruling that county election officials can only count ballots received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

The decision puts nearly 3,000 ballots at risk of going uncounted. Ballots received late will be separated and kept, “until further order of the Court.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center and American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the voters impacted, are urging Cobb residents to vote in person if they can. “Only as a last resort, should voters simply mail their ballots. Unfortunately, there are voters who will not be able to access the remaining options and will not have their voices heard in this election as a result of this ruling,” the SPLC wrote.