STACEY ABRAMS AND GEORGIA DEMS FIGHT ON

ATLANTA
A federal judge ruled late Monday (Nov. 12) that Georgia must not certify the state’s election results before Friday (Nov. 16) at 5 p.m., which falls before the Nov. 20 deadline set by state law.

Supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and the Georgia Democratic Party had filed a lawsuit in federal court in Atlanta on Sunday Nov. 11, asking the court to push the deadline by which counties must certify their results from Nov. 13 to Nov. 14. They also asked a judge to order elections officials to count rejected absentee and provisional ballots in the governor’s race.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg’s ruling ordered  the secretary of state’s office to review, or have county election officials review, the eligibility of voters who had to cast a provisional ballot because of registration issues in counties with 100 or more provisional ballots,

Abrams trails Republican Brian Kemp by nearly 59,000 votes. CNN has not projected a winner in the race.

Abrams’ campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo said in a conference call with reporters on Nov. 11,”This race is not over. It’s still too close to call. And we cannot have confidence in the secretary of state’s numbers.”

Kemp has declared victory, resigned as Georgia’s secretary of state, and named a transition team. He has urged Abrams to concede, saying it is mathematically impossible to gain enough votes to force the runoff she is seeking.

Abrams’ campaign said they want every legitimate vote counted and believe there are enough outstanding votes to force a recount or a runoff.

“I am fighting to make sure our democracy works for and represents everyone who has ever put their faith in it,” Abrams said in a recent statement. “I am fighting for every Georgian who cast a ballot with the promise that their vote would count.”