“Warnock Calls Georgia’s Hand-Counted Ballot Rule an Attack on Democracy”
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) condemned Georgia’s new hand-counted ballot rule on Sunday, calling it an “effort to turn the democracy on its head.”
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” Warnock stated that the implementation of this rule indicates that Republicans are aware of their declining support. “The news that Georgia voters should pay attention to is that this effort shows they know we’re winning,” he said. He emphasized that the rule allows politicians to choose their voters instead of the other way around.
On Friday, the Georgia Election Board voted 3-2 to mandate that local precincts hand-count ballots in addition to the machine counts, a decision that has raised concerns among election officials and some state representatives. This change was made with less than 50 days before Election Day, further intensifying scrutiny.
Even prominent Republicans, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have voiced concerns about the hand-counting process. Raffensperger noted that there could be significant challenges ahead with this new rule. He stated, “Attorney General Chris Carr has indicated that these rules may not withstand a legal challenge. I’ve worked every day to strengthen Georgia’s election law to ensure our elections remain safe, secure, and free.”
During his MSNBC appearance, Warnock referenced the contentious 2000 Florida election, saying, “We all saw the mess that that was, and we don’t need that here again in Georgia. We will continue to press the issue.”
The Hill has reached out to the Georgia Election Board for further comments.
