Georgia Judge Stalls Hand Count Rule in 2024 Elections

A Georgia judge paused a rule mandating hand counts of election ballots in 2024, amid rising concerns of disorder and delays. The rule was challenged for its potential to disrupt the voting process. Voting rights advocates argue this benefits partisan agendas rather than democracy.

A Georgia judge has temporarily halted a new rule requiring clerks to manually verify vote totals in the 2024 election. Judge Robert McBurney's ruling aims to prevent additional uncertainty in the electoral process, coming just weeks before Election Day.

The decision, reported by Democracy Docket, highlighted the risk of chaos added by manual counts. Georgia, facing early voting, is pivotal in the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. The Republican-controlled election board's hand count mandate faced criticism for potentially delaying results and enabling spurious challenges.

Voting rights groups argued the rule could disrupt certification of election results. The board's vote, influenced by Trump supporters, appeared to exceed statutory authority, raising fears of electoral chaos. Critics see the move as an attempt to sow doubt and delay outcomes, threatening democratic processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)