Georgia GOP Leaders Are Outraged After Dem-Led Counties Abruptly Extend Ballot Drop-Off Deadline

SUMMARY

Four Democrat-led Georgia counties — Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett — extended absentee ballot drop-off hours over the weekend, drawing criticism from local Republican leaders who say they were not informed in advance. GOP officials in these counties claim the lack of notice prevented them from dispatching observers to monitor the ballot drop-offs, leading to hours without GOP oversight. DeKalb County GOP Chair Marci McCarthy and Fulton County GOP Chair Stephanie Endres expressed frustration over the information being posted only on websites without direct notification, leaving locations unsupervised for much of Saturday morning. Although Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger affirmed that state law allows for in-person absentee ballot drop-offs at government facilities, he expressed concern over the lack of access for monitors. The RNC filed a lawsuit, alleging last-minute rule changes and restricted observer access, though a judge ruled no legal violation had occurred.