Democrats are requesting a judge to block the Georgia State Election Board’s new requirement for counties to hand-count ballots cast on Election Day, claiming that the last-minute decision is illegal and could lead to chaos in the battleground state. The controversial 3-2 vote by the board prompted a lawsuit from the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia, with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign in support. The rule, which was supported by former President Donald Trump’s allies on the board, has faced bipartisan opposition, with Georgia’s Republican secretary of state and attorney general questioning its legality.
The lawsuit argues that the new rule exceeds the board’s authority and could disrupt the election process by potentially delaying the reporting of results. DNC officials have criticized the rule as an attempt by Trump and his supporters to undermine the election’s outcome. Democrats have filed a previous lawsuit against the board over election rules supported by the pro-Trump members that they say conflict with state law requiring the certification of election results.
The trial for this previous lawsuit is set to take place before a judge in Fulton County on Tuesday. The lawsuit against the hand-count requirement seeks to prevent the rule from going into effect to protect the state’s election laws. The three board members who supported the measure, praised by Trump, have not responded to requests for comment. Democrats continue to push back against what they view as attempts to cast doubt on the integrity of the election process in Georgia.
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