Georgia Primary Election Night Reporting Center Observation Request

An anti-voting lawsuit seeking a court order allowing poll watchers and State Election Board members to access Georgia’s Election Night Reporting Center.

Background

Three Republican candidates in Georgia filed an emergency lawsuit in state court against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), seeking a temporary restraining order allowing poll access to the secretary of state’s election night reporting hub. On election night, the secretary of state’s office aggregates, verifies, records and reports statewide totals tabulated and transmitted from each county. Plaintiffs request that poll watchers and State Election Board members be allowed to observe this process for Georgia’s May 19 primary election. The plaintiffs argue that Georgia law requires election activities to be conducted publicly and gives properly designated poll watchers the right to observe vote counting and tabulation activities. They allege that the Secretary of State’s office intended to exclude poll watchers and members of the State Election Board from observing statewide election-night operations.

Why It Matters

Georgia’s MAGA-controlled State Election Board has increasingly pushed to expand its role in election administration, and voting rights advocates warn that granting greater access to ballot counting and reporting processes during the May 19 primary could open the door to partisan interference and further erode public confidence in elections.

Latest Updates

• June 10, 2026: Hearing scheduled.
• May 19, 2026: The court granted plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order. Later that day, the court voided the order granting the temporary restraining order. Members of the State Election Board and poll watchers will not be allowed access to the secretary of state’s election night reporting hub.
• May 18, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their emergency petition and motion for temporary restraining order.