Challenge To Georgia Election System Faces First Court Test

A lawsuit filed weeks after Republican Brian Kemp narrowly beat Democrat Stacey Abrams in the race to be come Georgia’s governor gets its first test this week.

David Goldman / Associated Press

A sweeping lawsuit challenging the way Georgia elections are run is being put to its initial test Monday as state election officials try to persuade a federal judge to toss it out.

The lawsuit was filed weeks after Republican Brian Kemp narrowly beat Democrat Stacey Abrams, in a governor’s race that focused national scrutiny on Georgia’s outdated voting machines and on allegations of voter suppression by Kemp, who was the state’s top election official during the race.

Kemp has adamantly denied allegations of wrongdoing. He signed legislation earlier this month that provides specifications for a new voting system, which the current secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, says he’ll implement in time for the 2020 election cycle.