Superior Court judge rules in favor of Fulton GOP in election board confirmation dispute

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Judge David Emerson hears arguments in a case involving the Fulton Elections and Registration Board.

Credit: Sarah Kallis/GPB News

A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of the Fulton County Republican Party in a case involving Republican appointments to the county election board.

Judge David Emerson ruled that Fulton County commissioners must vote to confirm the two Republican nominees to the county election board.

“I didn't see anywhere in that legislation that the commission was given veto power over the nominees. Is it in there, did I miss it?," Emerson said to Don Samuel, the lawyer representing the commissioners. 

Samuel claimed the commissioners who failed to confirm the nominees were exercising their legislative power. The Republican nominees at the center of the debate, Julie Adams and Jason Frazier, are accused of being election deniers. The commission failed to confirm their nominations earlier this month, but Emerson said in a ruling that the law requires them to confirm party nominees. 

Emerson’s ruling says the commission will be fined $10,000 per day until they appoint the nominees, starting Friday. 

The Fulton county election board is made up of Republicans and Democrats nominated by their respective parties, and a chairperson.