A Georgia judge ruled Tuesday that it would create “administrative chaos” if poll workers were required to process millions of ballots without training, leading to an “administrative chaos” on election night. The planned hand counting of ballots was canceled.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled that the controversial rule is “too much, too late” to go into effect ahead of the 2024 election, which is less than three weeks away. did.
“The public interest is not compromised by pressing pause here,” he said in his decision. “This election season is full of ups and downs. Regardless of your view of the day's fame or infamy, the memory of January 6th remains strong. Anything that adds uncertainty and disorder to the electoral process serves the public's best interests. It will be damaged.”
Local officials face off with Georgia Board of Elections over rules that could shake up November
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney speaks at a hearing to approve the final report of a special grand jury investigating possible interference in the 2020 presidential election. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
McBurney said in his ruling that his decision was not final and that more details would come later, but after the election.
“Our election board and superintendent have a legal obligation to ensure that elections are 'honestly, efficiently and uniformly conducted,'” he said. “Failure to comply with such legal obligations may result in investigation by the SEB, suspension of operations, and even criminal prosecution.”
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The rules were passed by the Republican State Board of Elections and are scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 22, just two weeks before the election, and early voting is well underway in the Peach State.
Supporters of Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta on October 15, 2024. (Reuters/Dustin Chambers)
The rule, which Mr. McBurney temporarily suspended, was enforced by a 3-2 vote in September, prompting a lawsuit by Georgia Democratic Party officials.
Election workers oversee early voting at a polling place in Marietta, Georgia, on October 15, 2024. (Reuters/Jayla Whitfield Anderson)
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The rules required precinct poll administrators and poll workers to unseal ballot boxes, manually count each ballot individually, and ensure the tally matched the machine-counted total. .
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