Fulton County Democrats Face Fines for Defying Court Order on Election Board Appointments

Fulton County officials may face daily fines for not complying with a court order to appoint two Republican members to the county’s election board. Judge David Emerson announced on Wednesday that the county commission will incur a $10,000 fine for each day it fails to confirm Julie Adams and Jason Frazier as board members, starting Friday.

Adams is currently serving as an incumbent on the board, while Frazier was nominated to replace outgoing Republican member Mike Hegan, who resigned effective at the end of August. Without Frazier’s confirmation, Hegan’s seat will remain unfilled.

During the hearing, Republican attorney Thomas L. Oliver III highlighted that the Democrat commissioners have ignored multiple court orders regarding the appointments. He noted that some Democrat board members have publicly stated their intent to continue defying these orders.

“The Democrat commissioners have made it clear they will not comply with the court’s directive,” Oliver said.

Don Samuel, representing the Democrat commissioners, countered that the Republican stance implies that commission members should not exercise their voting rights. He stated, “The Republicans believe that members cannot vote by your spirit; you may not vote. You are nothing but a rubber stamp.”

Samuel argued that the Republican position is a misrepresentation of the Democrats’ approach to voting. He claimed that the Democrats are asserting their right to discretion in voting, a stance they previously criticized when it came to Republican board members.

The controversy traces back to the 2024 election cycle when the Democratic Party of Georgia targeted Adams for her refusal to certify primary election results. They warned that any board member who did not approve the results could face criminal charges. Adams subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking clarification on whether her vote was discretionary, alleging she was denied access to necessary election materials.

In a ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, it was determined that election officials cannot refuse to certify results under any circumstances, even if they find the results questionable.

Democrat commissioner Mo Ivory has cited Adams’ past legal challenges as a reason for her reluctance to confirm Adams. However, Ivory and other Democrat members now assert that voting should be discretionary, raising questions about consistency in their approach.

The unfolding situation in Fulton County highlights ongoing tensions between the two parties regarding election oversight and accountability. Critics argue that the Democrats’ actions reflect a double standard, where they expect Republicans to comply with directives while asserting their own discretion when it suits their interests.

The court’s decision and the potential fines could have significant implications for the governance of the Fulton County election board as it prepares for upcoming elections.