Georgia County Blocked from Processing Voter Challenges Ahead of Election
A Georgia judge ordered the Oconee County Board of Elections to not hold hearings on any voter challenges that are filed before the election, in line with Georgia’s 45-day quiet period.
On Sept. 4, Oconee Board of Commissioners candidate Suzannah Heimel filed a lawsuit asking the court to order the county’s election board to process approximately 230 voter challenges she had filed. According to Heimel, the election board dismissed the voter challenges without holding a hearing on them, in violation of state law. Heimel asked the court to declare the dismissal invalid and only allow the challenged voters to cast provisional ballots until their voter eligibility is verified.
On Oct. 4, Common Cause Georgia and an Oconee County voter intervened, asking the court to dismiss Heimel’s lawsuit. Oconee County Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott dismissed Heimel’s lawsuit on Oct. 7.
The voter also asked the court to order the county election board not to process any voter challenges during Georgia’s 45-day quiet period, during which voter challenges cannot be processed ahead of the election. A hearing was held on Oct. 21.