Megan Varner / Getty Images
CNN
–
A federal judge on Wednesday denied a motion to halt implementation of parts of the new electoral law in Georgia ahead of the federal legislature’s runoff next week.
In the ruling, US District Judge JP Boulee refused to block parts of SB202 because the timing of the request would be a problem with runoff elections already in progress and would change the rules for ongoing elections. The runoff election for two seats at Georgia House is scheduled for July 13th.
The application also stated that the submission was made three months after SB202 came into force.
“We have come to a point where all the challenged provisions are already law. Hence, an injunction would not only maintain the status quo; Rather, it would change the law in the ninth inning, ”wrote Boulee.
The judge left room for a broader legal decision in the future: “The Court of Justice reserves a judgment on the legality of the discharge in future elections and will issue a separate order on this issue at a later date.”
Georgia law imposes new postal voting ID requirements, empowers state officials to run local election boards, restricts the use of ballot boxes, and makes it a crime to approach voters in line for food and water .
The US Department of Justice is suing Georgia over the new electoral restrictions introduced as part of a nationwide effort by Republicans to restrict electoral access following President Donald Trump’s electoral defeat.
A lawsuit against Georgia’s new electoral law filed earlier this year by the Coalition for Good Governance. Her lawsuit alleges that the law violates the primary rights of voters and is a violation of the Voting Rights Act. A number of civil rights and electoral groups have also filed lawsuits against the new voting rights.
