A recent decision by Georgia's State Election Board has ignited a fierce debate over election integrity and procedural changes.
According to the Daily Caller, the Georgia State Election Board voted 3-2 on September 20, 2024, to implement a new rule requiring all counties to hand-count ballots cast at polling places on Election Day.
The narrow margin of the vote reflects the contentious nature of the decision. The three board members who voted in favor of the proposition had previously received praise from former President Donald Trump in August. The opposing votes came from one Republican and one Democrat.
Republican supporters of the new rule have hailed it as a victory for election integrity. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, expressed her enthusiasm on social media, thanking the board for their efforts to ensure election integrity.
On the other hand, Democratic officials and candidates have voiced strong opposition to the rule change. Bryce Berry, a Democratic candidate for State House District 56, criticized the decision in stark terms on social media. Sara Tindall, the sole Democrat on the election board, stated that everyone she had heard from personally was against the rule change.
Saira Draper, a Democratic member of the state legislature and election lawyer from DeKalb County, expressed concern about the timing and potential impact of the new rules:
Putting 11, maybe 12 new rules into play days before Election Day is a grift. We are setting up our counties to fail. Why do we know they are going to fail? Because they are telling you that.
The decision to implement the hand-counting rule was not without controversy within the board itself. Board Chairman John Fervier acknowledged potential legal issues, stating that the vote would go against the advice of their legal counsel.
Janelle King, a Republican member of the board, countered Fervier's concerns by referencing the board's authority to make election rules uniform across counties.
She argued that since counties previously differed in whether to count paper ballots, the board had the authority to establish a single rule for all counties without violating any statutes.
The office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr had previously warned that such a rule might not be legally sound and could be too close to the 2024 election to implement changes. This legal perspective adds another layer of complexity to the already contentious decision.
The implementation of this new rule raises questions about the practical aspects of hand-counting ballots on a large scale. Critics argue that it could lead to delays in vote counting and potentially increase the likelihood of human error.
Supporters of the measure, however, contend that hand-counting will enhance transparency and public trust in the election process. They argue that this method provides a direct verification of ballot counts, which could help address concerns about election integrity.
The decision by the Georgia State Election Board to require hand-counting of ballots has sparked intense debate. While Republicans largely support the measure as a step towards ensuring election integrity, Democrats criticize it as potentially disruptive and problematic. As the 2024 election approaches, the implementation and impact of this new rule will likely remain a topic of significant interest and scrutiny in Georgia's political landscape.
