Two Georgia Public Service Commission elections will not occur this November, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday, reversing an earlier appeals court ruling that allowed them to proceed.
Instead, the high court reverted to the original decision by a federal judge in Atlanta that postponed the elections after finding that electing the five commissioners statewide illegally diluted Black votes.
The Supreme Court ruled that U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg’s decision did not come too close to the election. The justices ruled that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was wrong to block Grimberg’s order by citing an earlier Supreme Court decision saying judges shouldn’t order changes close to elections.
Justices, in an unsigned one-paragraph order, wrote that the 11th Circuit was wrong to rely on that decision because Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger earlier told Grimberg that officials would have enough time to alter ballots if Grimberg ruled by Aug. 12. Justices found that because of that statement, Raffensperger had forfeited that argument.
The high court left open the possibility that the 11th Circuit could block Grimberg’s ruling and let the election go forward on other grounds. The 11th Circuit is also expected to consider a full appeal of the ruling later.
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