Mon Sep 23 22:00:21 UTC 2024: ## Georgia Election Board Passes Rule Requiring Ballot Hand-Count, Sparks Media Controversy
**ATLANTA, GA** – In a move aimed at increasing election integrity, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) has passed a rule requiring precincts to conduct a physical hand-count of paper ballots at the end of Election Day voting. This measure will involve comparing the number of ballots with the voter check-in records.
The rule comes in the wake of a November 2023 recount in several Georgia counties, where nearly 6,000 votes were “found” during a “risk-limiting audit” that was expanded to include a full recount. Critics argue that this discrepancy would have been identified sooner if the SEB’s new rule had been in place.
However, the rule’s passage has drawn opposition from some organizations, prompting protests at the board meeting. Notably, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has publicly criticized the rule, spreading misinformation about its impact on the election process. Maddow claimed that the hand-count would cause significant delays, potentially taking months to complete.
This claim was swiftly debunked by election experts and officials, including Marilyn Marks, Executive Director of the Coalition for Good Governance. Marks clarified that the hand-count is a simple procedure to verify the number of ballots and would only take a few minutes per precinct.
SEB member Sara Tindall Ghazal also addressed Maddow’s misleading statements, emphasizing that the hand-count is a simple tally, not a full tabulation of votes. Despite this, Ghazal expressed concerns about the potential workload on poll workers, particularly on Election Day.
However, these concerns were dismissed by election officials and experts, who pointed out that the hand-count would only be conducted on Election Day, not during early voting periods. Additionally, the average number of ballots per precinct is relatively low, making the task manageable for poll workers.
While the SEB’s rule is a positive step towards enhancing election transparency, it only applies to ballots cast on Election Day. The board did not pass a similar requirement for early voting, a decision that some critics have raised concerns about.
The SEB’s new rule is expected to be implemented for the upcoming November election, although some groups are attempting to challenge it in court. This controversy highlights the ongoing debate surrounding election integrity and the role of media in shaping public perception of electoral processes.
First Piper 