A Georgia judge, Thomas Cox, has ruled that seven new election rules recently passed by the State Election Board are "illegal, unconstitutional, and void."
The ruling came after multiple challenges were raised against these new regulations. Among the rules invalidated, three received significant attention: one involving the hand-counting of ballots after polls close, and two dealing with the certification of election results.
One blocked rule mandated that three separate poll workers hand-count the number of paper ballots cast on Election Day to ensure that the totals match electronic tallies from scanners, check-in computers, and voting machines.
Critics, including election officials, argued this would burden poll workers and slow down the reporting process, especially so close to the general election. While supporters claimed the hand-count would take only a few minutes and not delay results, the judge temporarily blocked it for the November election, noting that it may be good policy, but it was too late for implementation now.
Additionally, two other rules dealing with election certification were struck down. One required county officials to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying results, though it was unclear what constituted a "reasonable inquiry."
Another allowed officials to review all election-related documentation before certification.
Critics argued that these provisions could be exploited to delay or prevent certification, especially by Trump allies, potentially leading to disputes over results if former President Donald Trump were to lose in the upcoming election.
This ruling is part of a broader legal battle over Georgia's election laws, particularly in light of the controversies following the 2020 election, where Trump lost narrowly to Joe Biden and made unfounded claims of widespread fraud. The State Election Board may consider appealing the ruling.
Source:
The Atlanta Journal Constitutuion
