In a close 3-2 decision, the Georgia State Election Board has approved a rule requiring counties to conduct a hand count of all ballots in the upcoming November election. While the results will still be tabulated electronically, the hand count must be completed before official certification of the election.
The move, championed by local activists, was made independently of the Republican National Committee or the Trump campaign.
Critics of the decision argue that the hand count could disrupt the election process and delay the reporting of results by weeks or even months. However, with the electronic count still in place, voters are expected to have the election outcome relatively quickly. The hand count serves as an additional transparency measure to verify the electronic results before certification. Proponents point out that most U.S. states already take a week or more to certify their election results, and this measure ensures accuracy without significantly prolonging the process.
Supporters of the new rule highlight previous election irregularities in Georgia, particularly in Fulton County. A May report by The National Pulse noted several deficiencies uncovered by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office during a recount of the 2020 presidential election. A complaint filed in July 2022 alleged the improper counting of 17,852 ballots, leading to an investigation that revealed duplicate ballot images and the potential double-scanning of some ballots, as well as thousands of missing images.
Earlier this year, the Georgia election board introduced two other rules designed to further safeguard election integrity, ensuring that the number of ballots cast matches the number counted before certification.
