Georgia State Election Board approves new hand-counting ballot rule

ATLANTA - The Georgia State Election Board convened on Friday to discuss and vote on nearly a dozen proposed changes to election rules ahead of the November general election. Among the most contentious proposals was a new requirement for all ballots to be hand-counted at each polling location, which the board has now approved.

Supporters argue that hand-counting ballots is essential for ensuring election integrity and increasing public trust in the process. However, opponents warn that this rule could lead to significant delays in reporting election results, especially in larger counties. The concern is echoed by election officials who fear the change will create logistical challenges at a time when election preparations are already underway.

"To say that it would not cause delays on election night is not true or accurate," said Rebecca Anglin, Greene County, GA Director of Elections. "It will cause delays for certain counties." 

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"We need the rules at the lowest level," one woman said. 

"These proposed rules will increase confidence in our voting process and will be virtually invisible to the voters experience," another man pointed out. 

The meeting, held at the Georgia State Capitol, drew a large crowd, requiring two overflow rooms to accommodate the number of attendees. In addition to the hand-counting requirement, the board is considering other changes, including a proposal to publicly post the names of all registered voters for the Nov. 5 election.

Critics, including members of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials (GAVREO), expressed concerns about the timing of these changes, warning they could disrupt the preparation and training of poll workers. "Any last-minute changes to the rules risk undermining the public’s trust in the electoral process and place undue pressure on those responsible for managing the polls," said GAVREO President W. Travis Doss Jr.

"It is time for you to stop making new rules," another woman said during public comment. 

"The idea that you're not going to listen to the individuals that are charged with conducting elections is absurd to me," one man said. 

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also voiced concern that the rule changes could cause confusion and chaos on election night, a view shared by many Democratic officials. "Activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures outside of the legislative process undermine voter confidence and burden election workers," Raffensperger said.

During the public comment period, 30 people spoke, with the majority opposing the changes. One speaker highlighted the already tight timeline for election officials, saying, "Now is the time for election officials to train workers, perform security protocols, print ballots, and mail absentee ballots, not to learn new rules and procedures."

Despite the concerns, some supporters believe that tighter election rules are crucial for maintaining free and fair elections. "Any way we can tighten up elections and ensure transparency is critical to voter confidence," said one attendee in favor of the new rules.

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The board has only voted on the hand-counting rule so far, with 10 more proposed changes still under consideration. Any approved changes will take effect 20 days from now, just as overseas and military ballots are being sent out and in-person early voting begins.

The Cobb County Election Board has also urged the state to refrain from making rule changes so close to the election, unanimously voting earlier this week to call for a halt to any further modifications.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 12: A voter holds up her sticker after casting her ballot for the Primary election on March 12, 2024, in Atlanta. (Photo by Megan Varner/ Washington Post)

In a statement late Friday afternoon, the Raffensperger wrote:

"Attorney General Chris Carr has stated that these rules would not withstand a legal challenge, and I have worked every day to strengthen Georgia’s election law to ensure our elections remain safe, secure, and free.

"Georgia voters can be confident that the reforms we’ve enacted since 2020 and have defended in court from frivolous attacks by Stacy Abrams will ensure only American citizens vote in our elections. Our reforms have made Georgia elections the safest in the nation and I work every day to keep it that way."

Georgia Election Board rule controversies

In recent months, the State Election Board has received numerous rule proposals, many originating from activists aligned with former President Donald Trump. 

Trump has continued to assert, without evidence, that widespread voter fraud led to his loss in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. 

Three of the five members of the State Election Board are Republican partisans whom Trump praised by name during a campaign rally last month in Atlanta, calling them "pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory," 

In August, the board voted 3 to 2 on a controversial proposal to allow local election officials to investigate counts before certifying their county's results. 

Supporters said the measure is needed because members of county election boards must swear statements that results are accurate and need to be able to adequately assure themselves that the totals are correct before doing so.

But opponents of the rule said it’s an invitation to create post-election chaos and that the board is defying state law that says that county officials "shall certify" results, as well as more than a century of court precedent finding county officials have little wiggle room on the issue.

Following the board's ruling, Georgia Democrats sued to block the rule's adoption, asking a judge to find the rules are invalid because the board is exceeding its legal authority.