ATLANTA – This afternoon, the Georgia Supreme Court denied relief to Cobb County voters who timely requested mail-in ballots but did not receive them on time because the county failed to promptly mail them. The lower court had ruled that an extension of the absentee voting deadline was necessary to protect these voters' constitutional right to vote, but the Georgia Supreme Court upheld that decision and overturned the lower court's relief. The November 8 extension period specified in the previous order is no longer in effect.

As a result, All Cobb County voters affected by the county's late mailing of mail-in ballots must now vote in person or drop off their ballots Cobb County Elections Register at the office by November 5 (Election Day) at 7 p.m. The office is located at 995 Roswell St. NE, Marietta, GA 30060.

Because of this decision, we urge all affected voters to prioritize voting in person whenever possible on Election Day, November 5, 2024. If a voter has their mail-in ballot but cannot vote in person on Election Day, they should drop it off at their county elections office as soon as possible. If neither is possible, we urge voters to immediately return their ballot to the county via overnight delivery, if possible. Only as a last resort should voters simply send their ballots by mail. Unfortunately, as a result of this ruling, there are voters who will not have access to the remaining options and will not have their voice heard in this election.

This lawsuit follows an emergency lawsuit filed on November 1, 2024 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Georgia, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.