ATLANTA — A federal judge has ordered the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to appoint two Republican-nominated individuals to the county’s elections board despite earlier efforts by commissioners to block the appointments.

The ruling requires the board to seat Julie Adams and Jason Frazier, both of whom have expressed past support for claims of election fraud. Their nominations were previously rejected in a party-line vote by county commissioners, prompting a lawsuit from the Georgia Republican Party.

In siding with the GOP, the judge ruled that Fulton County commissioners do not have legal authority to veto nominations to the elections board. The decision sparked immediate pushback from some Democratic commissioners, who argue they should not be forced to approve nominees they believe could undermine public trust in the electoral process.

“He’s asking us to take away our discretion, and I don’t believe that is proper,” said Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. “I believe it is unconstitutional, and I hope we appeal.”

Commissioner Dana Barrett also voiced concern saying, “We have a responsibility as commissioners to do our part to ensure free and fair elections and to defend the right of all of our citizens.”

The Republican Party argued in court that Georgia law requires the appointments to be made, and the judge agreed, stating that the law does not permit commissioners to reject party-nominated candidates.

Commissioner Mo Ivory previously called the nominees divisive, stating, “It’s not possible to work with folks that are trying to sow chaos.”

As of now, the appointments must move forward, but Arrington and others say they are exploring legal options to appeal the ruling.

WSB’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story