Judge Rejects GOP Ballot Challenges in Georgia

U.S. District Judge Stan Baker rejected a Republican National Committee lawsuit aimed at blocking the acceptance of absentee ballots in seven Democratic-leaning counties in Georgia, labeling the effort as discriminatory and politically motivated. The judge criticized the GOP for targeting specific counties based on their past voting patterns, stating that doing so would unfairly disadvantage certain voters. He emphasized that the lawsuit appeared to misunderstand the legal distinction between 'advance voting' and 'absentee voting,' and called the Republican claims 'cherry-picking.' Meanwhile, in Arizona, a judge dismissed a request from the Maricopa County Republican Committee to prohibit the use of electronic voting systems, rejecting allegations of security vulnerabilities associated with vendor-supplied passwords. This ruling came as Maricopa County had already processed a significant number of ballots with the contested equipment, amidst ongoing efforts to undermine confidence in the electoral process. Both cases reflect broader tensions and legal battles surrounding election integrity in key battleground states.