Voting Rights Groups Monitor Electoral Hot Spots in Key Counties

Voting Rights Groups Monitoring Potential Electoral Hot Spots

Voting rights organizations are closely observing around two dozen counties that are increasingly seen as potential flashpoints for electoral conflict. These regions have witnessed significant pushback against the certification of election results in recent cycles, including efforts to disqualify specific ballots or challenge standard election procedures. Many of these counties have found themselves embroiled in legal disputes, particularly those aimed at overturning former President Donald J. Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election. Below are some of the critical areas that democracy watchdogs are keeping a vigilant eye on:

Arizona

  • Cochise County: Situated in the southeastern part of the state, this deeply Republican region has become a hotbed of election-related conspiracy theories, often propagated by supporters of the former president. Officials in Cochise County previously refused to certify the results of the midterm elections in 2022. Following this debacle, the county’s nonpartisan elections director resigned, citing threats she received after resisting directives from the Republican-dominated county government. In a controversial move, those officials then appointed an election skeptic to oversee the voting process, leading the state’s Democratic attorney general to file a lawsuit against the county. Since then, the position has cycled through three different individuals, including another election denier, who ultimately resigned due to intimidation. Notably, on October 21, one Republican who obstructed the certification of the 2022 election results pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for failing to fulfill her duties as an election officer. Another Republican involved in similar actions has pleaded not guilty, with charges still pending.
  • Mohave and Pinal Counties: These counties have also previously flirted with the idea of refusing to certify election results, according to the Voting Rights Lab, raising concerns among election integrity advocates.

Georgia

  • Fulton County: Located in the Atlanta metro area, Fulton County remains a focal point of concern for democracy advocates. As the most populous county in a swing state, it was central to Mr. Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss and is where he faced criminal charges related to election subversion. Earlier this year, a right-wing commissioner in Fulton County filed a lawsuit claiming she could refuse to certify an election; however, a court dismissed this argument on October 14, affirming that the certification process is mandatory. Given that the county commission is predominantly Democratic, any attempt to obstruct certification is likely to be overruled. The ruling judge, Robert C.I. McBurney, also oversaw the special grand jury investigation into Mr. Trump’s election interference, leading to his indictment alongside 18 allies on criminal charges in Georgia. Additionally, Judge McBurney recently quashed a legal challenge regarding a new rule that would have mandated the hand counting of ballots for the upcoming November 5 election, emphasizing that such a method is less accurate and significantly more time-consuming than using voting machines, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
  • Spalding County: This Republican stronghold, located roughly 40 miles south of Atlanta, has come to symbolize the right-wing skepticism surrounding election voting machines. Just last year, officials mandated a hand count of ballots prior to certifying election results. Similar hesitancy towards certifying election outcomes has been observed in other counties across Georgia, including Cobb, DeKalb, and Coffee Counties.

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