Georgia Judge Blocks Controversial Election Hand-Count Rule

A Georgia judge halted a rule that mandated hand counts of ballots in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The rule, introduced by Georgia's Republican-controlled election board, was contested due to concerns about election security and transparency. The decision was praised by voting rights advocates who feared potential chaos.

A judge in Georgia has temporarily blocked a new rule requiring a labor-intensive hand count of potentially millions of ballots for the U.S. presidential election, citing concerns about electoral uncertainty. The decision was delivered on Tuesday, mere weeks before the elections, following a vote by a conservative majority on Georgia's Republican-controlled election board that had sought to enforce the measure.

The halted hand-count procedure, introduced on September 20, was intended to increase election security and transparency, according to its proponents. However, opposition came from voting rights groups and officials who argued the rule could lead to certification delays or denials, ultimately causing electoral chaos. Critics have labeled the directive as an effort to instill doubt over election results, an echo of the divisive aftermath of the 2020 elections.

Judge Robert McBurney, in his Tuesday decision, emphasized the potential disruption the rule could cause just weeks before Election Day, deeming it contrary to the obligations of election boards to maintain fair and orderly elections. The move was warmly received by the campaign and supporters of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, arguing it fortifies the democratic process by preventing chaos.

(With inputs from agencies.)