ATLANTA — The Republican Party in Georgia’s most populous county is suing native elected officers over the rejection of one of many celebration’s nominees to serve on the county election board, saying he was being punished for making an attempt to wash up voter rolls.
In the lawsuit filed Friday, the Fulton County Republican Party asks a choose to order the county Board of Commissioners to nominate Jason Frazier to the county Board of Elections and Registration. Fulton County, which incorporates a lot of the metropolis of Atlanta, is a Democratic stronghold.
Frazier has not too long ago filed challenges to the eligibility of hundreds of Fulton County voters. The GOP lawsuit notes that each state and federal regulation allow such challenges and his “demonstrated commitment to preserving the integrity” of the state’s elections makes him “uniquely suited to help the county’s election process.” That is why the county Republican Party nominated him to the election board, the go well with says.
The five-member county election board is to be made up of two individuals nominated by the county Republican Party, two individuals nominated by the county Democratic Party and a chairperson appointed by the Board of Commissioners. The commissioners named a chairperson in May and voted unanimously to approve the 2 Democratic nominees and one Republican nominee on June 7. But Frazier‘s nomination was twice rejected, on June 7 and June 21, with solely the 2 Republican commissioners voting to approve his nomination every time.
The lawsuit names the Board of Commissioners and every of the seven commissioners as defendants. The Associated Press has despatched an electronic mail to every commissioner searching for touch upon the lawsuit.
The lawsuit calls the commissioners’ rejection of Frazier‘s nomination a “cynical act of partisanship.”
“They did so because Frazier had sought to compel Fulton County to clean up its voter rolls,” the lawsuit says. “(I)nstead of commending Frazier for his efforts, the Board of Commissioners punished him.”
The lawsuit says the commissioners violated the regulation in rejecting his nomination, stating that the Fulton County Code says the commissioners “shall” appoint two members from nominations made by the leaders of the county Republican and Democratic events. During the June 7 assembly, the county legal professional affirmed that Frazier meets the {qualifications} to serve on the county election board, and no commissioner disputed that, the lawsuit notes.
Republican Commission Vice Chairman Bob Ellis warned that failing to approve Frazier‘s nomination may end in litigation.
Democratic commissioners stated through the June 7 assembly that whereas they’re required to nominate two nominees submitted by every celebration, that doesn’t imply they should approve any specific nominee who’s put forth.
Fulton County has a historical past of election issues, together with lengthy traces to vote and delays in reporting outcomes. After a very troubled major in 2020, an unbiased monitor was appointed to look at the final election that 12 months as a part of a consent settlement between the county and the State Election Board. The monitor stated the county’s elections had been badly managed however he discovered no proof of fraud.
Former President Donald Trump centered on Fulton County after he narrowly misplaced Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden within the 2020 common election. He made unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud within the county.
Republican lawmakers used a sweeping election regulation handed in 2021 to nominate a evaluate panel to find out whether or not the state ought to take over Fulton County’s elections. That panel submitted its remaining report back to the State Election Board in January, citing enchancment and recommending towards a state takeover. The state board voted final month to finish that efficiency evaluate.
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