“Election Update: Georgia Board Votes to Hand-Count Ballots This November”
The Georgia State Election Board voted 3-2 on Friday to require counties to hand-count ballots cast on Election Day, a decision that could significantly extend the time needed to tally results in this crucial battleground state.
Under the new rule, poll workers will be required to open ballot boxes and manually count the ballots at the end of the voting day. This change received approval from three board members who have been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, while it faced opposition from state Democrats, as well as the Republican Secretary of State and Attorney General.
John Fervier, the chair of the Georgia election board, expressed his reservations about the decision, noting, “I want to make on the record that we’ll be going against the advice of our legal counsel by voting in the affirmative.” Fervier, appointed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp, and Sara Tindall Ghazal, the board’s only Democratic member, both voted against the rule.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger previously warned that this new rule could lead to “chaos.” He explained to NBC News, “These are major changes to the election process. One of our concerns is the time it will take to count the number of ballots at the precincts. Everything we’ve done over the past six years has aimed to expedite the process and provide voters with results more quickly. Now, we’re adding a step that will likely prolong it.”
In a statement following the vote, Raffensperger reiterated his concerns, emphasizing that Attorney General Chris Carr had indicated these rules may not survive a legal challenge. “I have worked every day to strengthen Georgia’s election law to ensure our elections remain safe, secure, and free,” he added.
