Georgia Election Board Approves Controversial Rule Amid Local Opposition

The Georgia State Election Board voted on Friday to implement a significant and contentious measure that mandates local precincts to carry out hand counts of ballots for the upcoming November election. This new rule requires election officials to ensure that these hand counts align with machine count results prior to certifying the election outcomes.

This rule was one of several proposals considered during Friday’s meeting, wherein three Republican members, endorsed by former President Trump, have held a majority on the board since May. Their recent session was marked by the introduction of further election process modifications shortly after the meeting commenced.

The Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials, a nonpartisan organization comprising over 500 professionals across the state, conveyed their concerns in a letter sent on Tuesday. They urged the election board to postpone these last-minute proposals until 2025.

In their letter, the group stated, “Election officials are training thousands of poll workers daily across the state and are already working to educate the public on what to expect throughout the voting process and beyond. We respectfully ask that these proposed rules, and any other petitions for rulemaking, be tabled until 2025.”

The hand-counting mandate has raised alarms about potential delays in results, putting considerable pressure on election officials who may already be fatigued, thus undermining the intended confidence in the voting process as indicated by its proponents.

Board member Janelle King previously articulated her commitment to ensuring accurate vote counting and correctly conducted elections moving forward. King, along with fellow board members Janice Johnston and Rick Jeffares, has received praise from former President Trump for their actions on the board, being referred to as “pit bulls” championing the cause of “victory.”

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has also expressed apprehensions regarding the hand-counting proposal. Speaking at an election-related forum, Raffensperger highlighted that Georgia has 2,400 precincts, each needing to comply with this rule, which could cause significant delays in results and pose risks to the security of the paper ballots.

“Ninety days before an election, you should not institute major changes to the election process,” he remarked. “The more moving parts you have, the more chance there is to fail.”

The meeting on Friday began with tension as board chairman John Fervier was overruled by the three Republican members who wished to add another proposal to the agenda, which included additional rule changes and petitions already scheduled for discussion. The newly proposed addition concerned the “storage of returns.”

Chairman Fervier expressed reluctance, noting the lack of time for public consultation regarding the petition. Despite his objections, Johnston motioned to override him, leading Fervier and the Democratic board member Sara Tindall Ghazal to be outvoted by the majority.

Criticism of the existing rules passed in August has been mounting, with many critics fearing they could lead to delays in certification and chaos during the election. Yet, proponents argue that recent changes aim to ensure the accuracy of the voting process while boosting public confidence in the system.

Ken Cuccinelli, a former attorney general and Trump administration official, defended one of the rules requiring thorough investigations into any discrepancies between the number of ballots cast versus the number of individuals who voted in a precinct before certifying results. He argued that identifying inconsistencies early is crucial.

The Georgia Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against the board concerning two August rules they believe could hinder timely election results certification. Their legal challenge focuses on a requirement that counties conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying the vote, alongside a rule that allows local election boards to scrutinize election-related documentation generated during the election.

Democratic leaders are seeking judicial affirmation that the state’s certification deadlines remain in effect, even with the new rules in play. A state judge has set a trial date for October 1 to expedite a resolution.

Addressing the board on Friday, community commentators criticized the proposed rules after more than an hour of public remarks before the vote. Kristin Nabers, state director for the nonpartisan voting rights organization All Voting is Local, testified that she has observed errors made during hand counts, attributing them largely to human mistakes rather than issues with machines or voter intentions.

“People doing a hand count are going to make mistakes, which can then be exploited to spread lies and sow further distrust in our elections and our election officials,” Nabers pointed out.

Democratic congresswoman Saira Draper expressed concerns that the majority of the board may not be operating in good faith, suggesting they are setting counties up for failure, and when inaccuracies arise, they would claim the election lacked integrity.

In defense of the proposed rule changes from the board, Julia Adams, a Republican on Atlanta’s Fulton County Election Board, described the hand-counting process as a necessary double-checking mechanism akin to confirming cash amounts at a bank.

As discussions on the proposed changes continue, the tension surrounding Georgia’s election practices remains palpable, with many stakeholders advocating for stability and integrity as November approaches.

Source: USA TODAY