A Georgia judge has temporarily blocked a new state rule that would have required officials to hand-count ballots at polling locations, just weeks before Election Day. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney issued the ruling, citing a lack of proper training and established protocols for election workers, making the rule’s implementation impractical at this late stage.
The new hand-counting rule, set to take effect on October 22, was designed to ensure that the number of ballots cast at polling sites matched the tallies recorded by voting machines. The rule would have required election officials to hand-count the total number of ballots but not tally the individual votes for each candidate. This process was intended to serve as an additional safeguard for election accuracy.
Judge McBurney, however, pointed out that with Election Day less than three weeks away, there has been no training or system in place to ensure the smooth execution of the hand-counting rule. The judge’s decision effectively pauses the new rule, noting the logistical challenges it presents at this critical juncture.
The ruling follows record-breaking turnout for early voting in Georgia, with over 328,000 ballots cast on the first day alone. As early voting continues, the state is seeing high levels of voter participation, and election officials remain focused on ensuring a secure and trustworthy voting process. Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Georgia secretary of state’s office, emphasized the commitment of officials to providing accurate and reliable election results.
The hand-counting rule was introduced as part of broader efforts to boost confidence in the electoral system, particularly in the wake of contentious debates over election integrity. However, the timing of the rule’s introduction, so close to the November election, led the court to deem its implementation unfeasible.
Judge McBurney also referenced the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in his ruling, suggesting that trust in the election process must be restored gradually through structured, well-prepared changes, rather than rushed, last-minute measures.
The next steps for the hand-counting rule remain uncertain, but with early voting already underway and election officials aiming to ensure timely and accurate results, attention is now on how this decision will impact Georgia’s voting process in the final days leading up to Election Day.
