U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and his Democratic allies have filed a lawsuit challenging the absence of Saturday early voting ahead of next month’s Georgia runoff between Warnock and his Republican opponent, Herschel Walker.
In the immediate aftermath of last week’s election, the Secretary of State’s office indicated one weekend day for early voting likely would be set for Saturday, Nov. 26. But Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger subsequently announced there would be no early voting that day, citing a state law that prohibits early voting on any day that immediately follows a state holiday. Thursday, Nov. 24, is Thanksgiving Day, and Friday, Nov. 25, is a state holiday originally set aside for the observance of Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s birthday. While Lee’s name has been removed, the state holiday remains in effect.
In a motion to restore the early voting Saturday, Warnock’s campaign, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Party of Georgia argue the law cited by the secretary of state applies only to primary and general elections, not to runoffs.
Raffensberger says Democrats are seeking to change Georgia law right before an election based on their party preferences.
