Georgia GOP Files Emergency Lawsuit for Election Hub Access Ahead of Primary
GOP officials file emergency lawsuit demanding access to Georgia’s election operations hub just hours before Tuesday’s primary election.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Georgia Republican officials have filed an emergency lawsuit demanding access to the secretary of state’s election night operations hub with less than 24 hours remaining before Tuesday’s state primary election.
State Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is running for lieutenant governor, congressional candidate Chris Mora, and Cobb County Commissioner Keli Gambrill filed the motion Monday in Fulton County Superior Court against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The lawsuit seeks to provide election observers and State Election Board representatives access to the emergency operations center where election night reporting activities occur.
Legal Battle Over Hub Access
The Georgia State Election Board, the state Republican Party, and multiple Republican candidates argue they should have oversight access to the facility. However, the Attorney General’s office maintains that existing state law does not require such access since no ballot counting takes place at the location.
“The Georgia Election Code as written does not appear to contain any provision requiring the Secretary to allow members of the Board to attend election night reporting activities,” Senior Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Young wrote in a letter to State Election Board Chair John Fervier last week.
The emergency operations center serves as the hub for election night reporting activities but is not classified as a polling place, early voting location, or tabulation center. According to the Attorney General Chris Carr’s office, this distinction exempts the facility from state laws requiring poll watchers to access areas where votes are being counted.
Republican Officials Raise Concerns
Multiple GOP figures have accused Raffensperger, who is a Republican candidate for governor, of attempting to restrict Republican officials from accessing election night data. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, another Republican gubernatorial candidate, has called for the U.S. Department of Justice to step in and monitor the election.
State Election Board member Salleigh Grubbs, who also serves as the first vice chair of the Georgia Republican Party, has expressed concerns about the restricted access to the operations center.
Primary Election Stakes
The dispute comes as Georgia prepares for Tuesday’s state primary election, with multiple high-profile Republican races on the ballot. The emergency lawsuit represents a last-minute attempt by GOP officials to gain what they consider necessary oversight access to election operations.
The secretary of state’s office has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. The case highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican Party over election oversight and transparency measures ahead of the primary voting.
