The Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled that the Fulton County commissioners may reject Republican nominees to the county’s election board, finding the board appointments are “inherently discretionary.”
For years, the Democrat-controlled Fulton County Board of Commissioners has been fighting the local GOP over who gets to sit on the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections.
In May 2025, the commissioners rejected the Republican Party’s nominees, Julie Adams and Jason Frazier.
Later that summer, Superior Court Judge David Emerson ordered the county to seat both nominees. When the commissioners refused, Emerson issued a follow-on ruling ordering a $10,000-a-day contempt fine—but Democrats refused to budge.
Currently, Adams is the only Republican on the Board of Registration and Elections. She is serving in a holdover status until a replacement is seated.
Appeals Court Reverses Lower Ruling
The appeals court reversed the lower court’s seating order and erased the $10,000-a-day fine, ruling the commissioners’ decisions can be challenged only in cases of “gross abuse of discretion.”
The court said the term “shall appoint” in state law allows commissioners to make their own judgment on nominees.
GOP officials say the decision gives Fulton County Democrats a veto over GOP nominees and undermines bipartisan oversight of local elections.
Republicans Push Back
According to The Federalist, Frazier said, “If this holds, the Dems on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners can essentially pick their Dem Board of Elections members, the chair and the Republicans.”
Nominee Adams issued a written statement: “This action destroys parity—the bipartisan balance that protects election integrity—by granting one party unchecked control over election oversight. It erodes public trust, as citizens inevitably see bias even where none exists. And it sets a dangerous precedent, signaling to other metro counties that political power, not fairness, governs who oversees elections.”
What the Ruling Could Mean
The ruling could encourage other Georgia counties to reject opposing-party nominees the same way. It could also allow commissioners to block nominees who raise concerns about elections before they ever join the board.
Frazier also warned on X about what could happen if Republican representation is blocked in large Democratic counties.
Jason Frazier ?? on X: “Can you imagine what would happen if there were no Republican representation in any of the large blue counties? That is what this allows for. Time is very short. The primary is right around the corner, followed by the midterm.”
The Federalist writes, “This decision creates a dangerous ‘new normal’ for Georgia. If one party can block the other’s nominees until they find someone ‘compliant’ enough, the bipartisan balance the legislature intended to provide confidence and trust in our elections is all but dead.”
The Fulton County GOP is considering an appeal, and Georgia lawmakers are exploring legislation to clarify that “shall appoint” requires commissioners to seat qualified nominees.
