In respect of actions contesting election results, venue change is not limited to the county adjoining that in which the action commenced, but may be made to an appropriate court in any county of the state; costs incident to the further handling and trial of such action shall be borne by the transferor county.
Rule 19.3.Contested Election Results
Rule 19. TRANSFER/CHANGE OF VENUE · Last amended 1996 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceIn actions contesting election results, Rule 19.3 lifts the usual geographic limit on venue transfers, allowing the case to move to any county in Georgia rather than just an adjoining one, while requiring the county where the case originated to bear the costs of the further proceedings.
Full Text of Rule 19.3
Plain-English Summary
Election contests get special handling when it comes to venue. Rule 19.3 removes the usual constraint that ties a transfer to a neighboring county, letting an election-results case move to any appropriate court anywhere in the state.
That flexibility matters because election disputes can carry intense local attention, and a case may need distance from its county of origin to get a fair hearing. The rule pairs that flexibility with a cost allocation: whatever it costs to further handle and try the case falls on the county where the action was originally filed, not on the receiving county.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far can venue be transferred in a case contesting election results?
To an appropriate court in any county of the state, not just a county adjoining the one where the action commenced.
Which county pays for the costs of handling and trying a transferred election contest?
The transferor county — the county where the action originally commenced — bears the costs incident to the further handling and trial of the action.
Does Rule 19.3 limit venue transfer for election contests to adjoining counties, like some other cases?
No, the rule expressly states that venue change in these cases is not limited to an adjoining county.
What kind of cases does Rule 19.3 cover?
Actions contesting election results.
Why might an election contest need a venue option beyond a neighboring county?
The rule does not state a reason, but allowing transfer anywhere in the state gives an election contest more room to find a court removed from the local dispute.
Amendment History
Amended effective March 14, 1996.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Uniform Superior Court Rules, published by the
Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: Georgia election contest venue changeUSCR 19.3contested election venue transfer Georgiaelection dispute change of venue costsRule 19.3 Georgia Uniform Superior Court Rules