A Georgia judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a new rule requiring poll workers to hand-count ballots in the upcoming November 5 election, a setback for former President Donald Trump and his Republican supporters who had advocated for the measure following his 2020 loss in the battleground state.
The hand-counting rule, approved on September 20 by a pro-Trump conservative majority on Georgia’s election board, was presented as an effort to enhance election security and transparency. However, Democrats criticized the rule, arguing it would create chaos and delay election results.
Also Read: Russia Claims Capture of Two Eastern Ukrainian Villages, Kyiv Disputes Assertion
Judge Robert McBurney cited potential disruptions just weeks before Election Day as he halted the rule’s implementation. “Anything that adds uncertainty and disorder to the electoral process disserves the public,” McBurney wrote in his decision, which was shared by Democracy Docket, an election litigation tracking website founded by Democratic attorney Marc Elias. He noted that the rule’s application would likely result in “administrative chaos” that contradicts the election board’s duty to ensure fair and orderly elections.
Georgia, where early voting began on Tuesday with record turnout, is one of seven states considered crucial in the presidential race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. In 2020, Trump made baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in the state.
The judge’s ruling, while not declaring the hand-count rule illegal, leaves the door open for an appeals court to potentially reverse the decision. Representatives of the Georgia State Election Board and the Republican National Committee had not responded to requests for comment as of Tuesday evening.
Democrats welcomed the ruling, with party officials, speaking on behalf of the Harris campaign, describing the hand-count rule as an attempt to “sow doubt” in the election process. “Our democracy is stronger thanks to this decision to block it,” they stated.
The lawsuit to challenge the rule was initially filed by Cobb County’s Board of Elections and Registration on October 2 and was joined by the Democratic National Committee. McBurney also ruled separately on Tuesday that local election officials are required to certify election results, dismissing arguments that counties could refuse certification due to concerns over the voting process.
The halted rule would have required three poll workers at each of Georgia’s 6,500+ precincts to manually count ballots scanned by machines, starting on election night. Voting rights advocates argued that this could enable rogue officials to delay or deny certification of election results, while the state attorney general warned that the rule may exceed the board’s statutory authority.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had previously warned that the hand-count process could introduce errors and increase the risk of lost or stolen ballots. Nonetheless, Janelle King, a Republican on the election board, defended the rule during the September meeting, stating that accuracy was worth any delay in results. “What I don’t want to do is set a precedent that we are okay with speed over accuracy,” she remarked.
The board’s decision has faced other legal challenges, including litigation over rules allowing local officials to investigate vote discrepancies and conduct inquiries into irregularities before certifying results. Meanwhile, Trump faces criminal charges related to alleged attempts to pressure Georgia officials to overturn his 2020 election loss, accusations he denies.
Key Points:
- Hand-Count Rule Blocked: A Georgia judge temporarily halted a new rule requiring poll workers to hand-count ballots in the November 5 election, which was backed by Trump supporters.
- Rule Passed by Election Board: The rule was approved on September 20 by a pro-Trump majority on Georgia’s election board, aimed at increasing election security and transparency.
- Democratic Opposition: Democrats argued that the rule would cause chaos and delay results, and welcomed the judge’s decision as a win for voters.
- Judge’s Reasoning: Judge Robert McBurney cited concerns about “administrative chaos” and the disruption that hand-counting could bring just weeks before Election Day.
- Georgia’s Role in Presidential Race: Georgia is considered a critical state in the upcoming presidential contest between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, with early voting beginning on October 15.
- Additional Legal Challenges: Voting rights groups and state officials have raised concerns about potential errors and delays, with other lawsuits pending over election rule changes.
- Broader Context: Trump continues to face legal challenges in Georgia related to his 2020 election loss, as he awaits trial on charges of pressuring state officials to overturn the results.
