In a decision reshaping the electoral landscape in Georgia, the state’s Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling that sought to extend the ballot deadline in Cobb County, a crucial area in the Atlanta suburbs. This marks a pivotal win for Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) in the battleground state as Election Day tensions heighten.
At the heart of the matter are roughly 3,000 absentee ballots that weren’t mailed out promptly to voters due to what county officials described as a flood of requests straining their resources. Civil rights groups, arguing for fairness and voter access, pushed for a deadline extension to Friday, but the state’s high court held firm: only ballots arriving by 7 p.m. ET on Election Day will be counted.
“Election Day is Election Day — not the week after,” declared RNC Chair Michael Whatley on social media, doubling down on the party’s strict stance against extending ballot deadlines.
Cobb County, known for its racial diversity and political significance, had favored President Joe Biden over Trump by a decisive 14-point margin in the 2020 election. With Georgia projected as a critical battleground in the contest between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the court’s decision underscores the high stakes.
The justices ordered that ballots arriving late be set aside from the general count, while reminding voters of their option to cast their vote in person if absentee ballots couldn’t be sent in time. Meanwhile, the county remained tight-lipped, with officials not immediately available for comment.
As early voting unfolds and the nation’s attention zeroes in on Georgia, every ballot — and every deadline — carries weight in this closely contested race.
