This afternoon, the Georgia Supreme Court denied relief for Cobb County voters who requested absentee ballots on time but did not receive them on time due to the county’s failure to mail them promptly. The lower court had ruled that an extension of the absentee receipt deadline was necessary in order to protect these voters’ constitutional right to vote, but the Georgia Supreme Court stayed that ruling, removing the relief that the lower court had ordered. The November 8 extension deadline that the earlier order had issued is no longer in effect.
As a result, all Cobb County voters affected by the County’s late mailing of absentee ballots must now vote in person or get their ballots to the Cobb County Elections office by 7 p.m. on November 5 (Election Day). The office is at 995 Roswell St. NE, Marietta, GA 30060.
Because of this ruling, we urge all affected voters to prioritize voting in person on Election Day, November 5, 2024, if at all possible. If a voter has their absentee ballot but cannot vote in person on Election Day, they should hand deliver that ballot to their county elections office as soon as possible. If neither is an option, we urge voters to immediately send their ballot back to the county via overnight delivery, if possible. Only as a last resort, should voters simply mail their ballots. Unfortunately, there are voters who will not be able to access the remaining options and will not have their voices heard in this election as a result of this ruling.
This action follows an emergency lawsuit filed November 1, 2024, by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Georgia and Southern Poverty Law Center.
