In a recent ruling, District Judge Steve Jones stated that a conservative group, True the Vote, did not violate the Voting Rights Act when it challenged the eligibility of over 360,000 Georgia voters just before the 2021 runoff election for two crucial U.S. Senate seats. However, Judge Jones expressed concerns about the methods employed by True the Vote, stating that their actions "utterly lacked reliability" and "verged on recklessness." Fair Fight, a group founded by Stacey Abrams, had filed a lawsuit against True the Vote, alleging that their actions violated the Voting Rights Act's section that prohibits voter intimidation.

Judge Jones explained that the evidence presented during the trial did not demonstrate that True the Vote's actions caused any voter to be intimidated, coerced, or threatened in voting. He emphasized that county election boards ultimately determine a voter's eligibility once a challenge is filed. Although the judge acknowledged that True the Vote's actions were not condoned, he stated that they did not violate Georgia law.

True the Vote had announced the voter challenges shortly after early in-person voting began for the runoff election. The group claimed that they had reason to believe that the challenged voters no longer resided in the districts where they were registered and were therefore ineligible to vote. Georgia election officials rejected only a few dozen ballots cast in the runoff, and the two Democratic challengers ultimately won by tens of thousands of votes, securing control of the Senate for their party.

Fair Fight had argued that True the Vote's public statements about the challenges amounted to voter intimidation. However, Judge Jones disagreed, noting that the statements were not directed at any specific voter, and none of the challenged voters who testified had seen the statements.

True the Vote President Catherine Engelbrecht celebrated the ruling, stating that it sends a clear message to those who attempt to control the nation through lawfare and intimidation. Conversely, Fair Fight Executive Director Cianti Stewart-Reid expressed disappointment, stating that other groups have drawn from True the Vote's playbook to launch their own mass voter challenge efforts.

Although the ruling only applies to Judge Jones's district in northern Georgia, it may encourage conservative activists to pursue similar challenges during the 2024 presidential election. Election officials and voting rights groups have expressed concerns that mass challenges could intimidate voters and discourage them from participating in elections. Voting rights experts believe that the ruling may raise the bar for what constitutes voter intimidation under the Voting Rights Act and could weaken the protections provided by the law.

Fair Fight filed the lawsuit against True the Vote three years ago, following the conservative group's challenges to the eligibility of more than 250,000 registered Georgia voters. True the Vote had created a $1 million reward fund and offered bounties for evidence of election malfeasance to incentivize right-wing activists to help challenge voters.

Fair Fight argued that True the Vote's primary intention was to frighten Democratic-leaning voters and suppress turnout in the runoff elections. Catherine Engelbrecht celebrated the ruling as an answer to the prayers of faithful patriots across America, while Fair Fight expressed disappointment that federal courts were not adequately protecting voting rights and holding accountable those engaged in voter intimidation efforts.

It remains unclear whether Fair Fight plans to appeal the decision. The ruling, while limited in its scope, could have implications for future challenges to voter eligibility and voter intimidation claims in the Northern District of Georgia.