If there’s any doubt about how shady it is that the GOP pushed through a last-minute hand-count requirement right before the election, Donald Trump publicly praised them for it.
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The Georgia State Election Board’s decision to implement a controversial hand-count rule just weeks before the 2024 presidential election is raising alarms across the state. With the GOP-controlled board pushing through the rule, despite bipartisan objections from key election officials, many are concerned about the potential for chaos and confusion. This is a bold move considering Trump is facing a RICO case in Georgia for allegedly tampering with the last presidential election.
This decision is particularly critical as Georgia continues to be a battleground state, with its large, diverse voter base playing a pivotal role in recent elections. Plus, we’ve seen the government play in our faces PLENTY of times before— take Trump even being a former President as exhibit A.
Need another example? Siri, please look up #Project2025…
Anyways.
What Is the New Hand-Count Rule?
On September 20, 2024, the Georgia State Election Board voted 3-2 to require all counties to hand-count the number of ballots cast at polling places on Election Day, verifying the totals against those recorded by voting machines. According to CNN, this rule does not require hand counting of individual votes for each candidate—just the number of ballots.
While this might seem like a minor adjustment, election experts and officials are warning that this could cause significant delays. HuffPost states that particularly in larger counties, many of which are Democratic-leaning and home to Black voters who were instrumental in flipping the state blue in 2020.
This new rule also comes with tight time constraints. According to HuffPost, hand counts must be completed within the one-week certification period after Election Day, meaning counties with millions of voters could be left scrambling to reconcile results in time. The potential for human error in these hand counts has been a major point of concern. CNN states that discrepancies between hand counts and machine tabulations could further undermine trust in the electoral process.
Critics Sound Off: “This Will Cause Chaos”
Election officials across the state, including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr, have strongly opposed the rule. NPR reports a statement from Carr’s office warned that the new rule is likely unlawful, as it is not supported by any existing statute.
“These proposed rules are not tethered to any statute—and are, therefore, likely the precise type of impermissible legislation that agencies cannot do,” said Elizabeth Young, a senior attorney in Carr’s office.
Raffensperger echoed these concerns, telling CNN reporters:
“We’re 50 days out before we have our election. In fact, we’re really just three weeks before we start early voting, and it’s just too late in the cycle.”
He, along with many local election officials, warned that this last-minute rule change could overwhelm already stretched county offices, potentially delaying results and opening the door for confusion and misinformation.
That seems to be the general consensus.
NPR also reports that Ethan Compton, the elections supervisor for Irwin County, testified against the rule during the board meeting, stating,
“We have practiced on [the rules] since 2020. We have trained, we are prepared, we are ready. Do not change this at the last second.”
Compton’s concerns reflect those of many election officials, who believe that this abrupt shift will lower voter confidence and lead to mistakes that could easily be exploited by MAGA Maggots.
Good ole half & half Georgia for you.
Is This Really About Election Integrity?
Proponents of the new rule, all of whom are aligned with former President Donald Trump, claim that these changes are necessary to improve transparency and prevent fraud. CNN states Janelle King, one of the three Republican members of the state election board, defended the hand-count rule.
“A few bad apples, a few miscounts here or there, a few double counts, lead to an overshadowing of the great work that many of our election board offices are doing.”
However, critics argue that this is just the latest in a string of partisan moves designed to disrupt the voting process. HuffPost reports Trump himself praised the board members responsible for the changes during a recent rally in Georgia, signaling his approval of efforts to challenge and delay election results in key battleground states.
These changes also come on the heels of a broader election overhaul passed by the Georgia legislature in 2021, which many see as a response to Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud in 2020.
What’s Next For Georgia Voters?
With early voting set to begin on October 15 and this rule expected to take effect on October 14, the timing of the new regulations has left election officials and voters alike scrambling. The rule could force counties to allocate additional resources and staff to perform hand counts on top of their existing election day duties, adding unnecessary stress to an already complicated process.
Nonpartisan groups and voting rights organizations are also voicing their concerns.
In HuffPost, Kristin Nabers, Georgia state director of All Voting Is Local states,
“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.”
The timing of things sure does seem strategic. Let’s see how this goes…
The Bigger Picture: Who Does This Impact?
This decision is poised to hit Georgia’s largest counties the hardest, particularly Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs, where a large percentage of the population is Black and Democratic-leaning. The potential for delays and mistakes in these regions could lead to further distrust in an already contentious election process.
As Georgia remains a critical swing state in the 2024 presidential race, any delay in certifying results could have national implications. With the memory of the 2020 election still fresh, many are bracing for a possible legal and political showdown if Georgia’s results are called into question again.
Stay vigilant, Georgia.
As Election Day approaches, Georgia voters are encouraged to stay informed about these changes and make plans to vote early. Voter suppression STILL exists.
With so much at stake, it’s essential for every voter to be prepared for potential challenges and ensure their voices are heard.
