RNC sues Fulton, Gwinnett counties over Georgia election law violations

The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Georgia Republican Party (GAGOP) filed multiple lawsuits on Thursday against election officials in Fulton and Gwinnett counties, alleging that the counties violated Georgia election law by creating unauthorized absentee ballot drop-off locations and weakening ballot security procedures.

According to the lawsuits, the counties implemented policies allowing voters to return absentee ballots at locations not authorized under Georgia law and, in some cases, hand ballots directly to election workers for later transfer.

“Georgia legislators are responsible for making the state’s election laws, not unelected bureaucrats,” said RNC Chairman Joe Gruters in a statement to The Post Millennial. “County election boards cannot rewrite those rules by creating unauthorized drop-off locations or weakening safeguards. The RNC is fighting to protect election integrity and ensure the law is enforced.”

The RNC said it partnered with the Georgia Republican Party, local Republican organizations, and Georgia Secretary of State candidate Tim Fleming to file legal challenges against members of the counties' Boards of Registration and Elections.

The lawsuits focus on policies that allegedly created additional absentee ballot return sites beyond the drop boxes authorized under Georgia's Election Integrity Act, known as SB 202. In Gwinnett County, the complaint challenges a policy that permits absentee ballots to be returned directly to election workers rather than designated custodians or approved drop box locations. The RNC contends that both counties attempted to classify the additional collection points as “ballot bags,” creating what it describes as an unauthorized method for absentee ballot returns.

According to the RNC, the policies fail to provide required poll watcher access during ballot collection, allow ballots to be received outside legally authorized voting hours and on Election Day, and improperly permit poll workers to accept absentee ballots despite restrictions in state law.

The party argues that the procedures weaken safeguards intended to prevent ballots from being lost, mishandled, or otherwise unaccounted for.

SB 202, signed into law by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021, overhauled several aspects of the state's election procedures, including absentee voting and ballot drop box regulations. The law has faced multiple legal challenges from Democrats and voting rights groups since its enactment.

According to the RNC, the lawsuits seek to halt the counties' ballot collection practices and bring election procedures into compliance with state law.