SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) - Republicans are challenging seven Democratic-leaning counties in Georgia, including Chatham County, after they accepted absentee ballots past Friday's deadline. The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Georgia Republican Party Inc. are suing the counties in federal court, alleging they are breaking the law, in a 21-page suit filed Sunday, Nov. 3. The legal action comes a day after a state judge ruled allegations that blue stronghold Fulton County was breaking the law through their continued acceptance of the ballots were unfounded. The lawsuit claims boards of election in Chatham, Cobb, Fulton, Clarke, Dekalb, Clayton, and Gwinnett Counties violated the equal protections clause of the 14th Amendment by allowing absentee ballots to be counted after early voting ended, on Friday, Nov. 1. The group filing the lawsuit says the counties' actions create unfair voting opportunities for people based on where they live. They say those in counties where offices were not open this weekend are "less likely to cast effective votes" because they have fewer days to do so. Chatham County allowed ballots to be counted into Monday, Nov. 4. Tamieka Atkins with Cobb County-based voter engagement group ProGeorgia tells News 3 the focus needs to be on the voters, who are innocent in this process. "My initial thoughts are let's start with the voter," says Atkins, "Ultimately these are voters that requested an absentee ballot within the time frame, and the Georgia Supreme Court have allowed the collection these ballots." She also says although the optics of the lawsuit are not good, there is a silver lining: it is a reflection of the sizeable early-voter turnout in our state. "People want to get deep into the lawsuit," says Atkins "There's been several lawsuits since 2021. I think it shows the strength of Georgians that is in this election there's an appetite, there's an interest, and there's an excitement." According to the Georgia Secretary of State's office, early voting had a 55.3% turnout this year .. With over 4,004,588 people casting their ballots either absentee or early voting.