Georgia Republicans are vowing to sue Democratic stronghold Fulton County after announcing extended election hours on Friday.
The threat came after the state GOP learned that election officials in the county, which includes Atlanta, planned to open four election offices this weekend “to accommodate voters seeking to hand-turn in their ballots.” postal vote.
“This is a blatant violation of Georgia law…which states that ‘all drop boxes must be closed at the end of the early voting period,'” the Georgia Republican Party said in a press release Friday evening.
Fulton County is expected to play a key role in Democrats’ chances of winning Georgia again in 2024 — something Republicans alluded to in their statement.
MIKE JOHNSON LAUNCHES SWING-STATE TOUR AS GOP CLAIMS TO HOUSE CONTROL
Early voting in Georgia broke previous state records. (Getty Images)
“To make matters worse, all four election offices are located in areas of the county that will clearly favor Democratic candidates,” the release said.
Fulton County was one of several to announce it would keep election offices open this weekend for voters handing in their existing absentee ballots in person.
Drop boxes are a way for voters to drop off their absentee ballots at election offices without human contact, which is different from submitting them in person at the office itself.
Drop boxes were available during Georgia’s early voting period, October 15-November 1.
But Republicans argue that extended hours for delivering mail-in ballots over the weekend go against state rules.
‘TIPPING THE SCALES’: HOUSE GOP LEADERS RIPPING ACTBLUE AFTER GIANT DEM FUNDRAISING BACK WITH POENA ASSIGNMENT
President Joe Biden won Georgia by less than 1% in 2020 (Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has reached out to Fulton County government and Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign for comment.
NPR reporter Stephen Fowler wrote on »
This comes after a Fulton County Superior Court judge rejected Republicans’ proposal to force the county to hire more Republican poll workers for Election Day on Tuesday.
State, federal and local Republican parties have accused the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections of not hiring enough GOP election workers. They alleged that nine out of 45 qualified candidates were hired to help with early voting, while only six out of 62 were hired for Election Day, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Judge Kevin Farmer said the case would be reviewed further, but declined to order emergency measures to force more Republican poll workers to come by Tuesday.
“ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID”: GEORGIA JUDGE REVERSES NEW ELECTION RULES AFTER LEGAL FIGHTS
Fulton County saw more than 439,000 active voters vote by mail or in person during Georgia’s early voting period.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A significant majority of them were women rather than men – 55.9% to 43.8%.
About 72% of the county’s white voters turned out during that period, as did 49% of active black voters.
Former President Trump lost Georgia to President Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020.
Get the latest 2024 election campaign updates, exclusive interviews and more on our Fox News Digital election hub.
