GA Election Board Requires Ballots be Hand-Counted

Allies of Trump who control the Georgia State Election Board, Approved a New Rule Friday, requiring Counties to Hand-Count the Number of Ballots cast at Polling Places on Election Day, despite Bipartisan Objections from Election Officials and Poll Workers.

The Vote was 3-2, with the three Trump Allies supporting the move, and a Democratic and Independent strongly Opposing it, calling it an added Step that could Delay the Results of the Presidential Election in the Battleground State.

The New Hand-Counting Rule requires Counties to Count-by-Hand the Ballots Cast at a Polling place, to make sure it Matches the Number of Ballots Ttallied by Voting Machines. The Hand-Counters won’t be Tallying how many Votes each Candidate Received.

The Office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R), previously Warned the GOP-run Board that this move would likely be Unlawful because State Laws don’t allow Local Election Workers to Hand-Count Ballots before the Votes are Officially Counted. “These proposed rules are not tethered to any statute — and are, therefore, likely the precise type of impermissible legislation that agencies cannot do,” His Office wrote.

Carr’s Office also warned the Board that it might be too close to the Election to make these Changes, and that Judges might even Block these Changes because of long-standing Precedents that favor maintaining the Status-Quo on the Eve of Elections.

“The Board runs substantial risk of intruding upon the General Assembly’s constitutional right to legislate. When such intrusion occurs, the Board rule is highly likely to be ruled invalid should it be challenged,” Elizabeth Young, a Senior Attorney in Carr’s Office, said in the Letter on Thursday, Warning the Board that it might be Overstepping its Authority.

The State Attorney General’s Office previously said that Poll-Watcher Rule “seeks to expand the enumerated locations where poll watchers may be designated beyond those places identified in the statute,” and would therefore likely be Overturned if Challenged in Court.

Meanwhile, the Board Tabled a Proposal that would have required Election Workers to put Special Markings on Mail-in-Ballots and One to add additional Mail Tracking Requirement for Postal Votes.










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