Georgia Supreme Court Overturns Ballot Deadline Extension

The Georgia Supreme Court has overturned a lower court's decision that extended the absentee ballot deadline for over 3,000 Cobb County voters who received late ballots, ordering that only ballots received by 7 p.m. on Election Day can be counted. This decision is considered a victory for election integrity by the Republican National Committee following issues in Cobb County with equipment failures and a surge in last-minute ballot applications. The court's ruling requires that late ballots be securely stored but not counted unless further instructed by the court. The ACLU and SPLC had initially filed a lawsuit seeking an extension, arguing the administrative error shouldn't disenfranchise voters. The Georgia Supreme Court's decision does not affect absentee ballots from military personnel or overseas voters, which have a separate deadline. The ruling highlights ongoing debates around voting rights and election procedures in Georgia.