In a controversial decision, Georgia’s state election board voted on Friday to require the hand-counting of ballots cast on Election Day, a move expected to significantly delay the reporting of results in a critical battleground state. The 3-2 vote, backed by a pro-Trump majority on the board, has drawn strong opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans, who warn that the rule change could introduce chaos into the election process. The decision comes just weeks ahead of the November election and has sparked concerns about the ability to quickly and accurately count the votes.
Hand-Counting Decision Sparks Concerns of Election Delays
Georgia’s election board voted to require counties to count ballots after polls close on Election Day manually. The new rule mandates that poll workers open ballot boxes and physically count the number of ballots, a process that could dramatically increase the time it takes to finalize election results in the state.
The vote was supported by three board members praised by former President Donald Trump, despite opposition from Democrats and key Republican officials, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr. Raffensperger, who had previously warned that the rule could lead to “chaos,” reiterated his concerns after the vote. “Everything we’ve done for the last six years has been to speed up the process to give voters results quicker, and all of a sudden now they’re adding an element that’s actually going to take longer,” he told NBC News.
Legal and Administrative Warnings Ignored by Election Board
Despite strong opposition from Georgia’s legal counsel, the election board voted to move forward with the hand-counting requirement. Senior Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Young raised significant concerns in a letter to the board ahead of the vote, stating that the rule “very likely exceed[s] the Board’s statutory authority” and may conflict with existing election laws. She also cautioned that implementing such a change so close to the election could have unpredictable consequences.
Board chair John Fervier, who was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp, acknowledged these concerns during the hearing but still voted in favor of the new rules. “I want to make on the record that we’ll be going against the advice of our legal counsel by voting in the affirmative,” Fervier said before the motion passed.
Supporters Say Hand-Counting Will Build Trust, Opponents Disagree
Supporters of the hand-counting rule argue that it will help build public trust in the election process by eliminating concerns about the accuracy of voting machines. Janelle King, one of the board members who voted in favor, said she believed the new rule would prevent candidates from questioning the results. “We won’t have a situation where candidates say the count is off or demand an audit. We would have caught it at an early stage,” King said.
However, critics argue that the move is more likely to create confusion and errors. Hand-counting ballots has been proven to be less accurate and more expensive than using ballot tabulators. Last year, election officials in Mohave County, Arizona, conducted a test run of hand-counting and found that it took three minutes to count a single ballot, with staffers frequently making mistakes. Georgia’s rule only requires workers to count the total number of ballots, not the individual votes, but officials remain concerned about the potential for delays and errors.
Local Officials Brace for Challenges
Election officials across Georgia are bracing for the logistical challenges that come with hand-counting ballots. Charlotte Sosebee, the elections director in Clarke County, expressed concerns that poll workers might disagree on the number of ballots during a count, especially late at night. “If we do this, are they really going to trust the process?” Sosebee asked. “I mean, what’s next?”
Sosebee has already begun training her staff for the new rule, but the additional time and resources required to count the ballots by hand weren’t accounted for in the county’s budget. The rule change will force local governments to spend more to compensate poll workers for the extra hours.
Broader Concerns About Election Integrity in Georgia
The new hand-counting rule is just the latest in a series of controversial changes to Georgia’s election procedures. In August, the same board members approved a rule allowing county election boards to conduct “reasonable” inquiries before certifying results, which critics argue could undermine election integrity. The Democratic National Committee, along with the Georgia Democratic Party, has filed a lawsuit challenging these rules.
Former President Trump, who has continued to promote unfounded claims about election fraud, praised the board members who voted in favor of the new rules during a recent rally. “They’re on fire. They’re doing a great job,” Trump said of the trio. “Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares, and Janelle King—three people are all pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency, and victory.”
As Georgia heads toward the November election, the decision to mandate hand-counting of ballots has heightened tensions in an already politically charged environment. While supporters argue the move will restore faith in the process, critics warn it could lead to delays, errors, and distrust. With legal challenges mounting and election officials scrambling to adapt, the decision marks another contentious chapter in Georgia’s ongoing election saga.
