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Fulton County adds Saturday early voting for Senate runoff after court ruling

The county is now planning to offer early voting on Sat. Nov. 26 according to its website.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County has added Saturday, Nov. 26 to its early voting calendar following a court ruling on Friday that rejected an interpretation of Georgia voting laws by state election officials that was set to bar that date as an early voting day.

Fulton's early voting page, which had previously shown Sunday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 2 as its early voting period, now shows it as Saturday, Nov. 26-Friday, Dec. 2.

The early voting hours that day, and all the other days of the early voting period in Fulton County, will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For Fulton County's early voting locations, click here.

RELATED: Judge rules Georgia must let counties offer Saturday early voting in Senate runoff

The state had said a law barring voting on the second Saturday before an election if a state holiday is held on Thursday and Friday would prohibit Nov. 26.

Opponents who filed a lawsuit, including Sen. Raphael Warnock and Democratic groups, argued the restriction doesn't apply to runoffs because that portion of the law mentions only primaries and elections - with runoffs a distinct category under Georgia law.

Judge Thomas A. Cox Jr. issued an injunction in favor of the lawsuit, agreeing with the interpretation that the prohibition on a Saturday following a holiday did not apply to a runoff.

The state has signaled it would appeal the decision.

It's unclear how many counties will prepare for a Saturday early voting day, with many having already gone ahead with plans to begin their early voting period on Sunday, Nov. 27.

11Alive's Joe Henke reported Friday that Cobb County was assessing whether they have the staff to accommodate Nov. 26 as an early voting day, and DeKalb County said it was "working towards making Saturday voting for the runoff election happen."

   

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