Harris Campaign Celebrates Georgia Judge Blocking Hand-Count Ballot Rule
The Harris campaign has welcomed the decision by a Georgia judge to block a new rule requiring hand-counting of ballots. The rule, which was set to go into effect just weeks before the election, was deemed “too much, too late” by Judge Robert McBurney. He argued that implementing such a significant change so close to the election would introduce fresh uncertainty and disorder into the electoral process, potentially disserving the public.
Multiple lawsuits were filed against the rule, which was passed by the Republican State Election Board on a 3-2 vote. The rule would have required precinct poll managers and poll officers to unseal ballot boxes and count the ballots by hand individually to ensure the tallies match the machine-counted ballot totals. Critics, including Georgia’s Republican attorney general and secretary of state, argued that the new rules would “substantially alter Georgia’s election procedures on the eve of” the election.
Democrats have praised the decision, stating that the rule was an effort to delay election results and sow doubt in the outcome. They emphasized that their democracy is stronger thanks to this decision to block it, ensuring that voters can cast their ballots knowing they will count.
