Fulton County has approved a team of independent monitors for the upcoming general election, despite pushback from the state’s Republican-led State Election Board. The decision highlights ongoing tensions between Georgia’s largest Democratic stronghold and a board that has been closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.
🗳️ Why It Matters: The integrity of elections in Fulton County has been under intense scrutiny since 2020. With the county responsible for a significant portion of Georgia’s voters, this decision impacts not only local elections but could have national implications.
👁️ What’s Happening: The State Election Board initially proposed monitoring Fulton County’s elections, citing past issues. However, the county ultimately moved forward with an independent team opposed by Republicans on the board.
- The monitoring proposal selected includes Ryan Germany, a former attorney for the Georgia Secretary of State, and Carter Jones, who oversaw Fulton County’s 2020 election.
- The board’s Republican majority had pushed for a different oversight group, citing concerns that the selected team had ties to the 2020 election, which they argue was mishandled by Fulton.
⚖️ Between the Lines: The legal standing of Fulton County’s decision is clear, even if politically contentious. State Attorney General Chris Carr confirmed that the State Election Board lacks the authority to mandate a monitoring team, allowing Fulton to move forward on its own terms.
- Carr warned that if the board rejected the county’s decision or revisited the 2020 election, the likelihood of no monitoring team at all was high.
TOO MANY ADS? GO AD-FREE
Did You Know?: The ads you see on this site help pay for our website and our work. However, we know some of our readers would rather pay and not see ads. For those users we offer a paid newsletter that contains our articles with no ads.
What You Get: A daily email digest of our articles in full-text with no ads.
⏳ Catch Up Quick: Fulton County, home to Atlanta, has been under a microscope since the 2020 election, with allegations of mismanagement leading to extensive oversight.
- The county faced criticism for long lines, slow results, and a chaotic primary in 2020.
- An independent review found disorganization but no fraud or criminal activity.
🔍 The Big Picture: The rift between Fulton County and the State Election Board is emblematic of larger national divides. In battleground states like Georgia, election administration remains a flashpoint. With Fulton at the center of Trump’s fraud claims, its operations in 2024 will undoubtedly be closely watched.