Atlanta – Today, a Fulton County judge ruled that local election officials in Georgia must certify election results, as is required by state law. The decision marks a major setback for the MAGA operation’s efforts to undermine the independence of Georgia elections. The lawsuit, brought by key Donald Trump allied legal entity America First Policy Institute on behalf of Fulton County election board member Julie Adams, aimed to give local officials the power to block the certification election results.

Statement from Lauren Groh-Wargo, Fair Fight CEO: "This is a major blow to MAGA’s Election Sabotage plan – their conspiracy to empower local anti-voter election officials, many who’re all in on Trump’s 2020 election lies, to refuse certification is being stopped in its tracks. Far-right Trump allies like Cleta Mitchell were likely instrumental in bringing this suit forward and in pushing for election rules changes, passed by the MAGA Election Board, which empower local officials to refuse to certify election results."

Statement from Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Fair Fight Senior Legal Advisor: "The Court’s ruling reinforces that Georgia law does not allow local election officials to hold our elections hostage by refusing to certify the results. The sound legal principles applied in this order should also apply in the several cases challenging the State Election Board’s recent election rule changes, and those rules should not be permitted to silence Georgia voters."

Key Background: Fulton County Election Board member Julie Adams filed a suit challenging a Georgia law that prevents local officials from refusing certification. She’s represented by the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute in her suit and also works with the Election Integrity Network, founded by Cleta Mitchell, who joined Trump’s infamous call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which the former president tried to overturn Georgians’ votes in the 2020 presidential election.

A report from ProPublica revealed that Adams was “instrumental” in getting other Republican officials, like Bridget Thorne, a Fulton County commissioner and election denier, to submit rules changes to the Georgia State Election Board. The rule changes Adams encouraged them to submit, like Adams’ lawsuit, sought to empower local election officials to refuse to certify election results. The report revealed a widespread conspiracy among MAGA election deniers to change Georgia election rules around certification.

This all comes as the Trump-endorsed Election Board members changed election rules to force election officials to hand count ballots and empower election officials to disrupt the certification of 2024 election results. The MAGA Election Board members’ actions are part of a confirmed local and national conspiracy which could obstruct the certification of Georgia’s 2024 election results and help Trump sow chaos in November.

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