Democrats File Lawsuit Against Georgia Election Board Over New Ballot Rule

The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia have filed a lawsuit against the Georgia Election Board. The suit is in response to a new rule that mandates the hand counting of ballots in the upcoming presidential election.

Details of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit was filed on September 30th, and it argues that the new rule is illegal. The Democrats assert that the board only has the authority to implement regulations that are “conducive to the fair, legal, and orderly conduct of primaries and elections” and that “obtain uniformity.” The rule, which was approved by the board on September 20th, requires workers to hand count ballots to confirm that the number of ballots matches the number generated by machines.

Concerns Raised by Democrats

The Democrats allege that if the new rule is allowed to take effect, it will disrupt the orderly and uniform conduct of the general election. They argue that large counties will face significant delays in reporting vote counts, election officials will struggle to implement new procedures at the last minute, and poll workers will not have been trained on the new rule because it was adopted too late. They also express concerns about the security of the ballots. The lawsuit also points out that both the attorney general and secretary of state of Georgia opposed the rule. The office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr even stated that the rule likely exceeded the board’s authority and seemed “to conflict with the statutes governing the conduct of elections.”

The Request of the Democrats

The Democrats are asking the court to invalidate the rule and permanently block it. The rule, which was approved by a 3–2 vote, requires the hand count to be done before the election is certified. Janelle King, one of the members who voted for the rule, defended it by stating that she would rather wait an additional hour to ensure that the count is accurate than to receive a potentially inaccurate count within that hour. On the other hand, Sara Tindall Ghazal, one of the members who voted against the rule, cited the number of election officials who said it should not be implemented. Ghazal also expressed concerns over the board possibly overstepping its authority.

Bottom Line

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate over election security and transparency, particularly in the wake of the contentious 2020 presidential election. It raises important questions about the balance between ensuring accurate vote counts and maintaining an orderly and efficient election process. What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.