Trial on new Georgia election certification rules set to begin

ATLANTA (AP) — A trial is set to get underway Tuesday on a lawsuit filed by Democrats challenging two new rules passed by the Georgia State Election Board that have to do with county certification of election results.

Supporters of the rules say they are necessary to ensure the accuracy of the vote totals before county election officials sign off on them. But critics say they worry that supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump could use the rules to delay or deny certification if the former president loses the state to Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, causing confusion and casting doubt on the results.

The lawsuit is to be decided in a bench trial, which means there’s a judge but no jury, before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney.

One of the rules provides a definition of certification that includes requiring county officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying results, but it does not specify what that means. The other includes language allowing county election officials “to examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections.”

The lawsuit was filed by the state and national Democratic parties, as well as county election board members, Democratic voters and two Democratic state lawmakers running for reelection. It asks the judge to confirm that election superintendents, which are multi-person election boards in most counties, have no discretion to withhold or delay certification. It also asks him to declare the two new rules invalid if he believes they allow such discretion.

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