Tag: National Change of Address Registry

Judge Abrams Gardner Now Says Provisional Ballots Allowed, but Change of Address Isn’t Proof of Ineligibility to Vote

Corinne Murdock

Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner reversed part of her ruling late Wednesday night, allowing Muscogee County to impose provisional ballots for challenged voters. However, Gardner maintained that the challenge of eligibility can’t be made solely on the basis of National Change of Address (NCOA) registry data. Gardner’s updated order followed shortly after an original ruling prohibited two counties from imposing provisional ballots for over 4,100 challenged voters. 

Gardner is the sister of Stacey Abrams, the Democratic activist leading several organizations and a political action committee dedicated to voters rights. Despite the pair’s connection and Abrams’ interest in the case, Gardner refused to recuse herself. She published an explanation on Thursday, several days after her first order.

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Judge Who Reversed Controversial Voter Roll Cleanup Ruling Is Stacey Abrams’ Sister

Corinne Murdock

Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner blocked two counties from purging over 4,000 voters from the rolls for Georgia’s upcoming runoff elections. Gardner is the sister of Democratic activist and failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Abrams is the leader of Fair Fight Action, a voter rights organization, and the founder of New Georgia Project, which is under investigation currently by the secretary of state’s office. 

The defendants requested that Gardner recuse herself due to her relationship with Abrams and Fair Fight. Their reasoning concerned Fair Fight’s current engagement in a similar federal court-level lawsuit, filed on the same day last week as their lawsuit. The defendants noted that the lead counsel in both cases are also the same.

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