Georgia judge rules county election officials must certify election results

SUMMARY

A Georgia judge, Robert McBurney, ruled on Tuesday that county election officials are required to certify election results, regardless of suspicions of fraud. In an 11-page decision, McBurney emphasized that local officials have a "mandatory fixed obligation" to certify results, rejecting claims by Fulton County election board member Julie Adams, who argued that she couldn't fulfill her oath without access to additional election documents. McBurney made clear that while concerns about fraud or errors can be investigated, they cannot serve as a reason to delay or refuse certification. The judge warned that allowing officials to act unilaterally on suspicions could silence voters, as Georgia’s constitution and election laws do not permit this. This ruling comes amid growing challenges to Georgia’s election rules and resistance from some Republican officials who have refused to certify results since 2020.