Georgia GOP election official appeals decision mandating vote certification

A Georgia election official filed an appeal Wednesday after a judge ordered election leaders must certify election results by the legal deadline even if they suspect fraud or mistakes. 

Julie Adams, a Republican member of the Fulton County election board, filed a notice of appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled last week that election officials were required to certify the election by the legal deadline. 

Adams is specifically appealing the parts of McBurney's ruling that require she certifies election results by the deadline even if she "finds fraud or abuse, or other palpable error," according to the emergency motion. Adams is also arguing that the remedy provided in the order is "improper and insufficient … if she finds fraud and abuse."

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Adams initially filed suit seeking declaratory judgment, arguing she was "entitled to 'full access' to what she has identified as 'election materials.'" 

McBurney granted in part and denied in part the relief requested. McBurney wrote in the order that "no election superintendent (or member of a board of elections and registration) may refuse to certify or abstain from certifying election results under any circumstance." 

The order also stated that officials may investigate their concerns alongside related documents so long as "any delay in receiving such information is not a basis for refusing to certify the election results or abstaining from doing so."