CHRISTOPHER MORA v. BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA

Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia

ATLANTA,____________________ August 18, 2026

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A27A0071. CHRISTOPHER MORA et al. v. BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

A27A0072. BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA v. GREG DOLEZAL et al.

The Superior Court of Fulton County dismissed a petition for mandamus and injunctive relief that was filed by Christopher Mora, Keli Gambrell, and Greg Dolezal against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The petitioners sought to compel Raffensperger to allow their designated poll watchers and members of the State Elections Board to observe certain activities of the Secretary of State’s office on election day, and they argued that his refusal to allow such access was a violation of, inter alia, OCGA § 21-2-408.1 Based on our initial review, it appears that these cases may fall within the Supreme Court’s “exclusive appellate jurisdiction over ‘[a]ll cases of election contest.’”2 As the Supreme Court has recognized, “the boundaries of [that] Court’s ‘election contest’ jurisdiction” have not be expressly delineated, though the phrase has been defined to include, at a minimum, “challenges to the candidates for and results

1 This provision was amended by the Election Integrity Act of 2021, through which the General Assembly “comprehensively revised the Elections Code.” See Williams v. Powell, 320 Ga. 221, 222 n.4 (908 SE2d 599) (2024).

2 Cook v. Bd. of Registrars, 291 Ga. 67, 68 (2) (a) (1) (727 SE2d 478) (2012)

(quoting Ga. Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VI, Par. II (2)).

of elections” as well as “voter-based challenges to a specific election[.]”3 Further, the Supreme Court has the ultimate responsibility for determining appellate jurisdiction.4 Accordingly, these appeals are hereby TRANSFERRED to the Supreme Court for disposition.

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 08/18/2026

I certify that the above is a true extract from the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.

Witness my signature and the seal of said court hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

, Clerk.

3 Cook, 291 Ga. at 69-74(2)(a).

4 See Saxton v. Coastal Dialysis & Med. Clinic, 267 Ga. 177, 178 (476 SE2d 587)

(1996).