Georgia leaders respond to proposed changes to election rules requiring hand counting of each ballot

ATLANTA — The state Election Board voted Monday to tweak the language of a proposed rule requiring the hand counting of every ballot in the state at individual polling places on Election Day.

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The amended language would allow in some cases for a poll manager to postpone the hand count by one day. The proposed rule will be posted for 30 days and voted on at the next board meeting.

“Counting the paper ballot is the control. It is simply assuring the reconciliation of the electronic record to the actual ballots, and the ballot is our vote,” said Election Board member Dr. Janice Johnston.

It’s the latest in a string of controversial new rules supported by the three-member majority appointed by the General Assembly and praised by name by former President Donald Trump at his latest Atlanta rally.

“Imposing last-minute changes like this is a recipe for chaos,” said the lone Democratic member of the board, Sara Tindall Ghazal.

Earlier this month, the board passed a rule requiring county election boards to have a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying results.

“Changing the rules when voting basically is starting right now is something that is devastating to election administration and public confidence,” Ghazel said.

Several county election directors from across the state joined the board meeting to express similar concerns.

“You will be setting 159 counties up for failure on election night. You will be responsible for the delaying of the results of the most crucial election in Georgia this year,” said Paulding County Election Director Deidre Holden.

“My concern with this proposed rule is that chain of custody could be compromised with ballots being handled by so many individuals on election night,” Greene County Election Director Rebecca Anglin.

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But supporters of the hand counting countered that they were confirming the number of ballots matched the computer totals.

“Nothing here, but just trying to get to an accurate count of the vote. So, the first thing we have to do to get an accurate count of the votes is account for all the ballots,” Dunwoody resident Erik Christensen said.

Attorney General Chris Carr sent the Election Board a letter Monday saying that the State Election Board can’t ask his office to investigate Fulton County’s handling of the 2020 presidential election as it had voted earlier this month. Carr in an official opinion wrote that the Board does not have that legal authority.

A group called Democracy Defense Project headed by Republicans former Gov. Nathan Deal, former Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and Democrats, former Gov. Roy Barnes and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin also released a statement Monday criticizing the state Election Board.

Saying in part, “Making substantive changes to the way votes are counted and certified without legislative action will undoubtedly foster chaos and undermine the confidence that Georgians have in the democratic process.”

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