A Fulton County Superior Court Judge ruled on Tuesday that county election officials must certify vote counts in the upcoming election even if they suspect fraud or errors.

The judge said any disputes over fraud should be settled in court.

Of course, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has made it clear that any lawyer who challenges vote fraud and abuse will be indicted and disbarred.

“If election superintendents were, as Plaintiff urges, free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge and so — because of a unilateral determination of error or fraud — refuse to certify election results, Georgia voters would be silenced. Our Constitution and our Election Code do not allow for that to happen,” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said in his order, according to NBC News.

Gabe Sterling, the top officer is the Georgia Secretary of State’s office celebrated the judge’s ruling.

Great news! The judge ruled that county election board members in Georgia MUST certify elections. Another step in keeping to guardrails in place to safeguard our elections. https://t.co/5vp8Bq0iKm

— Gabriel Sterling (@GabrielSterling) October 15, 2024

When challenged about the judge ordering the certification of elections even if there is fraud or abuse, Gabe Sterling said it’s the law.

Because only after a certification can an election challenge be filed to properly contest an election outcome. That is how Georgia law is written.

— Gabriel Sterling (@GabrielSterling) October 15, 2024

A Republican Fulton County board member argued in court that she is required to refuse to certify the results if she believed there was fraud or errors.

The judge disagreed and ruled against her.

Excerpt from NBC News:

County election boards in Georgia are not allowed to refuse to certify election results, a state judge ruled on Tuesday.

Concerns of fraud or abuse are to be settled in court, the judge said, not by county officials acting unilaterally.

McBurney said the law was clear when it says that county officials “shall” certify the results. In the footnotes, he said the word was quite clear.

“To users of common parlance, ‘shall’ connotes instruction or command: You shall not pass!” he wrote, quoting Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf’s famous battle cry. “And, generally, even lawyers, legislators, and judges, construe “shall” as “a word of command.”

BREAKING: Fulton County (GA) judge rules that county election officials must certify vote counts — even if they suspect fraud or errors

— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) October 15, 2024