ATLANTA, GA — There will be no runoff in Georgia’s nationally watched governor’s race. Democrat Stacey Abrams acknowledged late Friday afternoon that Republican Brian Kemp will be certified the winner of the race, more than a week after voters cast their ballots in Georgia’s historic midterm elections. Abrams mounted a barrage of post-election legal challenges seeking to have as many contested absentee and provisional ballots counted as possible to force the race into a Dec. 4 runoff.
Abrams. who said her speech was not a concession, seemingly will not pursue any additional legal measures to challenge the election’s results, but did say she has launched an organization called Fair Fight Georgia, which will file a federal lawsuit alleging mismanagement of this year’s election and seek future election reforms.
Earlier on Friday, the Associated Press reported Abrams might be considering yet another legal challenge — this one, almost unprecedented — that is designed at forcing another vote in the election.
Late Thursday night, Gwinnett County became the final county to certify the results of last week’s historic Georgia midterm elections, in which Republican Brian Kemp has already declared a victory over Stacey Abrams in the governor’s race.
According to the latest numbers from the Secretary of State, Kemp holds a 54,966 vote lead over Abrams, who has mounted several legal challenges since the Nov. 6 election to have as many contested absentee and provisional votes counted as possible. Kemp has 50.23 percent of the vote, to Abrams’ 48.83 percent. Libertarian Ted Metz has 0.95 percent.
Newly appointed Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden told county election officials earlier this week to count absentee ballots as long as the voter’s identity can be verified. Crittenden, who is the first African-American woman to ever serve in a statewide office, issued the guidelines Monday afternoon. Crittenden’s office stressed that law and rules regarding absentee ballot verification and provisional ballots haven’t changed, but rather “the purpose of the guidance is to ensure that county election officials are receiving accurate information as they approach their certification deadline.”
On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones ruled in favor of Abrams’ request that absentee ballots with incorrect voter’s birthdates must be counted. However, Jones rejected an Abrams campaign request to require counties to accept absentee ballots with incorrect voters’ addresses or provisional ballots cast by voters who attempted to vote in a different county than where they are registered.
There is already at least one runoff set for Dec. 4, that for secretary of state, between Democrat John Barrow and Republican Brad Raffensberger.
SEE ALSO:
Final Decision In GA Governor’s Race Could Come Friday
Absentee Ballots Missing Birth Dates Must Be Counted, Judge Says
Senator, 14 Others Arrested At Capitol Protest Over GA Election
Click Here: Cheap Chiefs Rugby Jersey 2019
Georgia Election Officials Told To Count Absentee Ballots
(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the freePatch Android app here.)
Patch file photo