Republicans claim victory in Georgia poll watcher dispute, RNC chairman says

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is celebrating after GOP poll watchers were allowed access to election offices in four blue counties this weekend for extended absentee voting hours, according to party chairman Michael Whatley.

Federal and state GOP groups had threatened to sue Fulton County late Friday after Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties announced that several election offices would be open for in-person drop-off of mail-in ballots this weekend.

Republicans also accused Fulton County of failing to allow public observers at sites open on weekends, which Whatley and Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon said violated the Peach State's election observer laws.

“Thanks to our efforts, our poll watchers have now been allowed into buildings in all four Georgia counties. Our lawsuit over the offices remaining open is still pending, but we are in the room while the votes are counted,” Whatley wrote on X. “We will continue our aggressive efforts to enforce Georgia law and protect the vote.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the four relevant county governments for comment.

RNC co-chair Lara Trump, former President Trump's daughter-in-law, posted on X: “Update on Georgia – Working with the.” [Georgia Secretary of State] And [state Attorney General]“We have been able to confirm that our observers will be allowed into the room while these ballots are being processed.”

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said on X: “We are pleased that Fulton County has implemented our requirement to allow observers in accordance with Georgia law. However, we are concerned that this was ever even a question.”

The alleged exclusion of election observers from weekend postal voting hours was not limited to the Republican Party. It included all observers, Republicans said.

An RNC spokesman told Fox News Digital that the presence of public poll watchers over the weekend benefited both Republicans and Democrats, but argued that their absence would hurt the GOP more in left-leaning areas.

The spokesperson said the RNC has been working with election officials in Georgia to ensure access for poll watchers.

Fulton County includes the city of Atlanta, while DeKalb, Gwinnett and Cobb counties form the suburbs of Georgia's capital. All four were crucial in President Biden pushing Georgia down by less than 1% in 2020.

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President Biden won the state by less than 1% in 2020. (Getty Images)

The threat of a lawsuit Friday night came after the state GOP learned that election officials planned to open four election offices this weekend “to accommodate voters who wish to return their mail-in ballots by hand.”

“This is a blatant violation of Georgia law … which states that 'all mailboxes must be closed when the primary election period ends,'” the Georgia GOP said in a statement late Friday.

“To make matters worse, the four election office locations are in areas of the county that will clearly favor Democratic candidates.”

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Drop boxes are a way for voters to drop off their mail-in ballots at election offices without human contact, which is different than dropping them off in person at the election office itself.

Drop boxes were available during Georgia's early voting period from October 15th to November 1st.

But Republicans argue that the extended deadlines for submitting mail-in ballots over the weekend violate the state's rules.

Raffensperger said in a statement that counties will be allowed to accept mail-in ballots dropped off in person at their offices if they choose.

“Under state law, election officials can accept mail-in ballots in person at government facilities if the county chooses. Several districts have decided to do so. We are working with the counties and political parties to ensure this is done transparently and within the framework of Georgia law,” Raffensperger said.

Meanwhile, Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to sow chaos and uncertainty in Georgia's electoral processes, particularly in blue counties like Cobb and Fulton.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, is also investing enormous resources in the state. (Charly Triballeau/AFP)

NPR reporter Stephen Fowler wrote down

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This came after a Fulton County Superior Court judge rejected Republicans' attempt to force the county to hire more Republican poll workers for Election Day on Tuesday.

State, federal and local Republican parties accused the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections of failing to hire enough GOP poll workers. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, nine of 45 qualified applicants were hired to help with early voting, while only six of 62 were hired for Election Day.

Judge Kevin Farmer said the case would remain under review but declined to order emergency action to compel more Republican poll workers by Tuesday.

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