The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 22) rejected an appeal by the Republican Party to reinstate controversial last-minute election rules that have been invalidated by a lower court.

Last week, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox ruled that the new rules adopted by the Georgia State Election Board — led by a pro-Trump majority — were "illegal, unconstitutional and void." 
&nbsp; 
Republicans, including the Republican National Committee and the Georgia GOP, had appealed the ruling, seeking to reinstate the rules in an expedited manner before Election Day.

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<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:233,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1982}">Georgia Supreme Court rejects appeal</h2>

In a unanimous decision, the Georgia's highest court declined to expedite the appeal or put the lower court's ruling on hold.&nbsp;

This means that Cox's invalidation of the rules will stay in place, and the appeal will "proceed in the ordinary course," meaning it could take months before a final ruling is made.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:379,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2128}">Which rules were invalidated?</h2>

The new election rules were passed by the State Election Board's three-member Republican majority in August and September, close to the Nov 5 election date. This was done despite opposition from the board's lone Democrat and non-partisan chair.&nbsp;

According to AFP, those in favour of the controversial rule are staunch Donald Trump backers, and were even praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory."

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:495,&quot;w&quot;:692,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2332}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-presidential-election-2024-what-key-issues-are-driving-the-polls-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand-on-them-767314">US Presidential Election 2024: What key issues are driving the polls? Where do Harris and Trump stand on them?</a>

The changes also met with strong resistance from local election officials, who expressed concerns over the timing of the rules just weeks before the general election and voiced fear&nbsp;that the last-minute changes could cause confusion among poll workers and voters.

Among the rules struck down by Cox were provisions requiring three poll workers to count ballots by hand after polls closed, as well as changes to the certification process for county election results.

Democrats and voting rights groups had argued these rules could be exploited to delay or block certification, especially if Trump were to lose the upcoming election.

However, some Republicans argue the rules would promote transparency and accountability.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:755,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2504}">Reactions to the ruling</h2>

Republican Scot Turner, a former state representative and leader of the group that filed the lawsuit challenging the seven rules, expressed relief that election workers would not have to implement new procedures just two weeks before Election Day.&nbsp;

Turner criticised the Republican Party's position on the matter. "I hate fighting my friends," he said, as per news agency AP.

"It's unfortunate that the Republican Party has apparently lost their affection for defending constitutional principles like separation of powers. But I’m undeterred, and we will continue to fight," he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiN85i0z6OJAxUSdfUHHfDZNUwQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-swing-state-georgias-pro-trump-election-board-mandates-hand-counting-of-votes-last-minute-766116" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-swing-state-georgias-pro-trump-election-board-mandates-hand-counting-of-votes-last-minute-766116&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiN85i0z6OJAxUSdfUHHfDZNUwQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute</a>

Georgia GOP chairperson Josh McKoon, however, defended the new rules, calling opposition to them "unimaginably stupid and damaging to public confidence in what is expected to be a closely contested election".&nbsp;

He criticised the court for not resolving the matter quickly and said: "It is supremely disappointing to observe yet another failure of our judicial system".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, voting rights groups celebrated the court's decision. Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight, described it as "a huge win for Georgia voters and the rule of law," arguing that the invalidated rules were "part of a larger election denier plot to undermine confidence in our elections".

(With inputs from agencies)

The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 22) rejected an appeal by the Republican Party to reinstate controversial last-minute election rules that have been invalidated by a lower court.

The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 22) rejected an appeal by the Republican Party to reinstate controversial last-minute election rules that have been invalidated by a lower court. Last week, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox ruled that the new rules adopted by the Georgia State Election Board — led by a pro-Trump majority — were "illegal, unconstitutional and void." Republicans, including the Republican National Committee and the Georgia GOP, had appealed the ruling, seeking to reinstate the rules in an expedited manner before Election Day. Also read | Trump files complaint against UK Labour Party, claims 'blatant foreign interference' in 2024 US Elections Georgia Supreme Court rejects appeal In a unanimous decision, the Georgia's highest court declined to expedite the appeal or put the lower court's ruling on hold. This means that Cox's invalidation of the rules will stay in place, and the appeal will "proceed in the ordinary course," meaning it could take months before a final ruling is made. Which rules were invalidated? The new election rules were passed by the State Election Board's three-member Republican majority in August and September, close to the Nov 5 election date. This was done despite opposition from the board's lone Democrat and non-partisan chair. According to AFP, those in favour of the controversial rule are staunch Donald Trump backers, and were even praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory." Also read | US Presidential Election 2024: What key issues are driving the polls? Where do Harris and Trump stand on them? The changes also met with strong resistance from local election officials, who expressed concerns over the timing of the rules just weeks before the general election and voiced fear that the last-minute changes could cause confusion among poll workers and voters. Among the rules struck down by Cox were provisions requiring three poll workers to count ballots by hand after polls closed, as well as changes to the certification process for county election results. Democrats and voting rights groups had argued these rules could be exploited to delay or block certification, especially if Trump were to lose the upcoming election. However, some Republicans argue the rules would promote transparency and accountability. Reactions to the ruling Republican Scot Turner, a former state representative and leader of the group that filed the lawsuit challenging the seven rules, expressed relief that election workers would not have to implement new procedures just two weeks before Election Day. Turner criticised the Republican Party's position on the matter. "I hate fighting my friends," he said, as per news agency AP. "It's unfortunate that the Republican Party has apparently lost their affection for defending constitutional principles like separation of powers. But I’m undeterred, and we will continue to fight," he added. Also read | US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute Georgia GOP chairperson Josh McKoon, however, defended the new rules, calling opposition to them "unimaginably stupid and damaging to public confidence in what is expected to be a closely contested election". He criticised the court for not resolving the matter quickly and said: "It is supremely disappointing to observe yet another failure of our judicial system". Meanwhile, voting rights groups celebrated the court's decision. Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight, described it as "a huge win for Georgia voters and the rule of law," arguing that the invalidated rules were "part of a larger election denier plot to undermine confidence in our elections". (With inputs from agencies)

Georgia Supreme Court rejects Republican appeal to reinstate last-minute election rules

A Georgia judge on Tuesday (Oct 15) hit pause on a controversial rule that required ballots to be hand-counted in the 2024 election. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, as per reports, said that the rule was "too much, too late" to be enforced effectively.&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:85,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1922}">What is Georgia's hand-counting ballot rule?</h2>

With the US presidential vote only weeks away, the Georgia State Election Board, led by a pro-Trump majority, passed a controversial rule in late September&nbsp;requiring&nbsp;the manual hand count of ballots.

It calls for three individuals at each precinct to manually tally ballots and compare their results with machine counts.&nbsp;In addition, a poll manager must then confirm that the figures correspond to the tallies generated by the machines and take corrective actions if there are any inconsistencies.

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The rule which&nbsp;had caused alarm in the closely watched swing state&nbsp;was passed by the&nbsp;state election board&nbsp;by a three-to-two vote. According to AFP, those in favour of the controversial rule are staunch Trump backers, and were even praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory."

Judge McBurney questioned why such a significant change was being introduced so close to the election,.

"You dumped a problem in their lap … a few weeks before it needs to be put into operation," he said to state election board lawyer Robert Thomas.

"What's the wisdom of that, and what's the necessity for that, as opposed to, 'Alright, let's make sure that we get to try this out, and this will be effective the next election?',"&nbsp;asked the judge.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:495,&quot;w&quot;:692,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2332}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-presidential-election-2024-what-key-issues-are-driving-the-polls-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand-on-them-767314">US Presidential Election 2024: What key issues are driving the polls? Where do Harris and Trump stand on them?</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:548,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2385}">Critics call rule 'misguided'</h2>

Both Democratic and Republican officials in Georgia, as per reports, have labelled the rule unnecessary given that machines already count the vote, without any margin for "human error". They also contend that hand-counting&nbsp;could slow down the process and be a potential tool to sow doubt and provide an opportunity for disinformation if errors occur during human counting.

Even as Trump praised those pushing the rule,&nbsp;Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that the&nbsp;rule change was "misguided.". He noted that "activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures" only "undermine voter confidence and burden election workers."

(More to follow)

A Georgia judge on Tuesday (Oct 15) hit pause on a controversial rule that required ballots to be hand-counted in the 2024 election. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, as per reports, said that the rule was "too much, too late" to be enforced effectively.

A Georgia judge on Tuesday (Oct 15) hit pause on a controversial rule that required ballots to be hand-counted in the 2024 election. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, as per reports, said that the rule was "too much, too late" to be enforced effectively. What is Georgia's hand-counting ballot rule? With the US presidential vote only weeks away, the Georgia State Election Board, led by a pro-Trump majority, passed a controversial rule in late September requiring the manual hand count of ballots. It calls for three individuals at each precinct to manually tally ballots and compare their results with machine counts. In addition, a poll manager must then confirm that the figures correspond to the tallies generated by the machines and take corrective actions if there are any inconsistencies. Also read | US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute The rule which had caused alarm in the closely watched swing state was passed by the state election board by a three-to-two vote. According to AFP, those in favour of the controversial rule are staunch Trump backers, and were even praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory." Judge McBurney questioned why such a significant change was being introduced so close to the election,. "You dumped a problem in their lap … a few weeks before it needs to be put into operation," he said to state election board lawyer Robert Thomas. "What's the wisdom of that, and what's the necessity for that, as opposed to, 'Alright, let's make sure that we get to try this out, and this will be effective the next election?'," asked the judge. Also read | US Presidential Election 2024: What key issues are driving the polls? Where do Harris and Trump stand on them? Critics call rule 'misguided' Both Democratic and Republican officials in Georgia, as per reports, have labelled the rule unnecessary given that machines already count the vote, without any margin for "human error". They also contend that hand-counting could slow down the process and be a potential tool to sow doubt and provide an opportunity for disinformation if errors occur during human counting. Even as Trump praised those pushing the rule, Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that the rule change was "misguided.". He noted that "activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures" only "undermine voter confidence and burden election workers." (More to follow)

'Too much, too late': Georgia judge temporarily halts controversial ballot hand-counting rule

A judge in the closely watched US swing state of Georgia ruled on Tuesday that local election board members must certify vote results, in a decision that could impact the upcoming presidential contest.

Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney's ruling came after a Republican appointee to the election board in Fulton County, which includes large parts of Atlanta, refused earlier this year to certify the results of Georgia's presidential primary.

Julie Adams, in a lawsuit backed by the America First Policy Institute, a group aligned with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, had sought a judgment from the court that the certification of election results was "discretionary."

McBurney rejected Adams's claim.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:231,&quot;w&quot;:706,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1916}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/too-much-too-late-georgia-judge-temporarily-halts-controversial-hand-counting-rule-767837">'Too much, too late': Georgia judge temporarily halts controversial ballot hand-counting rule</a>

"If election superintendents were, as Plaintiff urges, free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge and so -- because of a unilateral determination of error or fraud -- refuse to certify election results, Georgia voters would be silenced," McBurney wrote.

"Our Constitution and our Election Code do not allow for that to happen."

The judge said there are "some things an election superintendent must do, either in a certain way or by a certain time, with no discretion to do otherwise."

"Certification is one of those things," he said. "Election superintendents in Georgia have a mandatory fixed obligation to certify election results."

Trump is facing racketeering charges in the southern state over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/record-turnout-in-georgia-as-early-voting-opens-for-harris-vs-trump-us-presidential-race-767843">Record turnout in Georgia as early voting opens for Harris vs Trump US presidential race</a>

The certification case is one of a number of election-related cases that are being heard in courts in Georgia, which is expected to be one of seven key states that will determine the outcome of the November 5 election between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Another case involves a controversial requirement passed by a pro-Trump majority on the Georgia State Election Board that counties manually hand count their ballots.

Georgia officials from both sides of the political aisle say the count is not only superfluous -- machines already count the ballots -- but also a potential tool to sow doubt by slowing the process and creating space for disinformation.

The state election board passed the rule by a three-to-two vote -- those in favor being staunch Trump backers praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory."

The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia sued to block the rule with the Harris campaign's backing.

A Georgia state election official said meanwhile that a record number of early in-person votes had been cast on Tuesday.

"As predicted, as of 1pm we have already set an opening day of Early Voting record with 154,505 votes cast in person today, with several hours to go," Gabriel Sterling said on X. "MASSIVE numbers!"

Sterling said the previous first day early voting record was in 2020, when 136,000 votes were cast.

Georgia is one of a number of US states that allows voters to cast their ballots in-person before the November election.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

A judge in the closely watched US swing state of Georgia ruled on Tuesday that local election board members must certify vote results, in a decision that could impact the upcoming presidential contest.

A judge in the closely watched US swing state of Georgia ruled on Tuesday that local election board members must certify vote results, in a decision that could impact the upcoming presidential contest. Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney's ruling came after a Republican appointee to the election board in Fulton County, which includes large parts of Atlanta, refused earlier this year to certify the results of Georgia's presidential primary. Julie Adams, in a lawsuit backed by the America First Policy Institute, a group aligned with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, had sought a judgment from the court that the certification of election results was "discretionary." McBurney rejected Adams's claim. Also read | 'Too much, too late': Georgia judge temporarily halts controversial ballot hand-counting rule "If election superintendents were, as Plaintiff urges, free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge and so -- because of a unilateral determination of error or fraud -- refuse to certify election results, Georgia voters would be silenced," McBurney wrote. "Our Constitution and our Election Code do not allow for that to happen." The judge said there are "some things an election superintendent must do, either in a certain way or by a certain time, with no discretion to do otherwise." "Certification is one of those things," he said. "Election superintendents in Georgia have a mandatory fixed obligation to certify election results." Trump is facing racketeering charges in the southern state over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Also read | Record turnout in Georgia as early voting opens for Harris vs Trump US presidential race The certification case is one of a number of election-related cases that are being heard in courts in Georgia, which is expected to be one of seven key states that will determine the outcome of the November 5 election between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Another case involves a controversial requirement passed by a pro-Trump majority on the Georgia State Election Board that counties manually hand count their ballots. Georgia officials from both sides of the political aisle say the count is not only superfluous -- machines already count the ballots -- but also a potential tool to sow doubt by slowing the process and creating space for disinformation. The state election board passed the rule by a three-to-two vote -- those in favor being staunch Trump backers praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory." The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia sued to block the rule with the Harris campaign's backing. A Georgia state election official said meanwhile that a record number of early in-person votes had been cast on Tuesday. "As predicted, as of 1pm we have already set an opening day of Early Voting record with 154,505 votes cast in person today, with several hours to go," Gabriel Sterling said on X. "MASSIVE numbers!" Sterling said the previous first day early voting record was in 2020, when 136,000 votes were cast. Georgia is one of a number of US states that allows voters to cast their ballots in-person before the November election. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Georgia judge rules local election boards must certify vote results ahead of 2024 election

Voters in Georgia turned out in record numbers as the battleground state opened early voting for the Nov. 5 presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, state officials said on Tuesday.

At least 252,000 voters had cast ballots at early-voting sites as of 4 pm&nbsp;EDT (2000 GMT), nearly double the 136,000 who participated in the first day of early voting in the 2020 election, said Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's No. 2 election official. "Spectacular turnout," he wrote on social media.

Trump, at a campaign event in Atlanta, expressed enthusiasm for the early vote in Georgia.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:181,&quot;w&quot;:706,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2008}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/too-much-too-late-georgia-judge-temporarily-halts-controversial-hand-counting-rule-767837">'Too much, too late': Georgia judge temporarily halts controversial ballot hand-counting rule</a>

"The votes are coming in, and they're coming in at a nice level for us," he said.

Early voting, either in person or by mail, has become increasingly popular with US&nbsp;voters. Nearly 1 in 7 voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in 2020, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab.

However, many Republicans opposed the dramatic expansion of mail voting that year, saying it was less secure than in-person voting, and Trump cited false claims of mail ballot fraud as he sought unsuccessfully to overturn his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.

Some Republicans continue to insist that voters should be able to cast their ballots only in person on Election Day, though party officials are encouraging supporters to vote ahead of time.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:229,&quot;w&quot;:673,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2066}" data-ved="2ahUKEwj4q_Tt7ZGJAxXzRmwGHaxNNTEQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-swing-state-georgias-pro-trump-election-board-mandates-hand-counting-of-votes-last-minute-766116" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-swing-state-georgias-pro-trump-election-board-mandates-hand-counting-of-votes-last-minute-766116&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj4q_Tt7ZGJAxXzRmwGHaxNNTEQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE">US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute</a>

Nationwide, 5.5 million Americans have already voted this year, according to Election Lab. By contrast, 27 million people had cast their ballots at this point in the 2020 election as voters sought to avoid crowded polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Like some other states, Georgia has tightened its mail-voting laws since then, requiring voters who want to cast an absentee ballot to provide proof of identity and limiting the number of places they can deposit their ballots.

Georgia is one of the seven competitive battleground states expected to play a decisive role in deciding the election.

A Georgia judge on Tuesday temporarily halted a rule requiring clerks to verify vote totals by hand-counting ballots in the 2024 election.

Judge Robert McBurney said in his Tuesday ruling that it was appropriate to pause the change because it introduced fresh uncertainty into the process just weeks before Election Day.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

Voters in Georgia turned out in record numbers as the battleground state opened early voting for the Nov. 5 presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, state officials said on Tuesday.

Voters in Georgia turned out in record numbers as the battleground state opened early voting for the Nov. 5 presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, state officials said on Tuesday. At least 252,000 voters had cast ballots at early-voting sites as of 4 pm EDT (2000 GMT), nearly double the 136,000 who participated in the first day of early voting in the 2020 election, said Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's No. 2 election official. "Spectacular turnout," he wrote on social media. Trump, at a campaign event in Atlanta, expressed enthusiasm for the early vote in Georgia. Also read | 'Too much, too late': Georgia judge temporarily halts controversial ballot hand-counting rule "The votes are coming in, and they're coming in at a nice level for us," he said. Early voting, either in person or by mail, has become increasingly popular with US voters. Nearly 1 in 7 voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in 2020, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab. However, many Republicans opposed the dramatic expansion of mail voting that year, saying it was less secure than in-person voting, and Trump cited false claims of mail ballot fraud as he sought unsuccessfully to overturn his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden. Some Republicans continue to insist that voters should be able to cast their ballots only in person on Election Day, though party officials are encouraging supporters to vote ahead of time. Also read | US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute Nationwide, 5.5 million Americans have already voted this year, according to Election Lab. By contrast, 27 million people had cast their ballots at this point in the 2020 election as voters sought to avoid crowded polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like some other states, Georgia has tightened its mail-voting laws since then, requiring voters who want to cast an absentee ballot to provide proof of identity and limiting the number of places they can deposit their ballots. Georgia is one of the seven competitive battleground states expected to play a decisive role in deciding the election. A Georgia judge on Tuesday temporarily halted a rule requiring clerks to verify vote totals by hand-counting ballots in the 2024 election. Judge Robert McBurney said in his Tuesday ruling that it was appropriate to pause the change because it introduced fresh uncertainty into the process just weeks before Election Day. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Record turnout in Georgia as early voting opens for Harris vs Trump US presidential race

In the town of Leesburg in rural southwest Georgia, just over a dozen election workers sit at card tables, each thumbing through stacks of 50 blank pieces of paper, practising counting ballots by hand.&nbsp;

With the US presidential vote only weeks away, the Georgia State Election Board, led by a pro-Trump majority, passed a controversial requirement in September that counties manually hand count their ballots, a move that has caused alarm in the closely watched swing state.

Veronica Johnson, who is leading the training session as the Lee County director of elections and registration, says hand counting the ballots is unlikely to pose major operational problems in her small county.&nbsp;

But logistics are far from election officials' only concern.&nbsp;

Georgia officials from both sides of the political aisle say the count is not only superfluous -- machines already count the ballots -- but also a potential tool to sow doubt by slowing the process and creating space for disinformation should discrepancies arise via error-prone human counting.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sent-covid-test-kits-to-putin-while-americans-died-explosive-new-book-reveals-his-shocking-betrayal-765783">Trump sent COVID test kits to Putin while Americans died? Explosive new book reveals his shocking betrayal</a>

"I don't feel it's necessary. I have no problem saying that. I think that at our precincts here in Lee County, we're already balancing our numbers," Johnson told AFP.

The change is all the more notable given Republican candidate Donald Trump's alleged election tampering in the state in 2020, pushing for Georgia officials to "find" enough votes to overturn President Joe Biden's victory.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:379,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2069}">'Misguided'</h2>

Lee is among Georgia's 159 counties, which encompass major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta and rural regions like the area surrounding Leesburg, with populations ranging from majority white to majority Black.

Like many of its rural counterparts, Lee County voted heavily in 2020 for Trump, who received 72 percent of its votes.

Poll workers such as those at the training will be stationed across the county's 10 voting precincts on November 5, when the United States chooses between Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, in addition to candidates in hundreds of down-ballot races.

Because of lawsuits, Johnson is unsure if hand counting will actually happen.

"Honestly, every election director I know really just wants to serve the people and not get bogged down by the political ramifications," she said, emphasizing that ballots are already counted by machine three times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:651,&quot;w&quot;:718,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2341}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-returns-to-pennsylvania-after-assassination-bid-blames-opposition-for-trying-to-kill-him-764852">'Wasn't supposed to make it': Trump returns to Pennsylvania, blames opposition for trying to kill him</a>

Calling the rule change "misguided," Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that "activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures" only "undermine voter confidence and burden election workers," while Georgia's Republican attorney general has stated the new rule is likely illegal.

The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia sued to block the rule last week, with the Harris campaign's backing.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:802,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2492}">'Untrusting'&nbsp;</h2>

The state election board passed the rule by a three-to-two vote -- those in favour being staunch Trump backers, praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory."

Along the same three-to-two lines, the board passed another rule in August allowing county election boards to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying results.

Like the hand count requirement, the measure is being challenged in court, with critics particularly worried about the vagueness of the word "reasonable."

Mitchell Brown, director of the election administration program at Auburn University in Alabama, told AFP such a rule is unnecessary given that election officials "have meetings regularly where they go through the documentation and the information with the certifying body."

"The bigger, more interesting question to me is, what happens if a body chooses not to certify?"

Back in Lee County, Donna Mathis, who has served as a poll worker since 2018, noted that the "country is divided so much."

Asked about the hand count and reasonable inquiry rule, she said, "the hand count doesn't bother me" given how quickly they were able to tabulate the votes.

But "I think you can inquire too much, it ties things up," she added. "People are just so untrusting any more that they question everything."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

In the town of Leesburg in rural southwest Georgia, just over a dozen election workers sit at card tables, each thumbing through stacks of 50 blank pieces of paper, practising counting ballots by hand.

In the town of Leesburg in rural southwest Georgia, just over a dozen election workers sit at card tables, each thumbing through stacks of 50 blank pieces of paper, practising counting ballots by hand. With the US presidential vote only weeks away, the Georgia State Election Board, led by a pro-Trump majority, passed a controversial requirement in September that counties manually hand count their ballots, a move that has caused alarm in the closely watched swing state. Veronica Johnson, who is leading the training session as the Lee County director of elections and registration, says hand counting the ballots is unlikely to pose major operational problems in her small county. But logistics are far from election officials' only concern. Georgia officials from both sides of the political aisle say the count is not only superfluous -- machines already count the ballots -- but also a potential tool to sow doubt by slowing the process and creating space for disinformation should discrepancies arise via error-prone human counting. Also read | Trump sent COVID test kits to Putin while Americans died? Explosive new book reveals his shocking betrayal "I don't feel it's necessary. I have no problem saying that. I think that at our precincts here in Lee County, we're already balancing our numbers," Johnson told AFP. The change is all the more notable given Republican candidate Donald Trump's alleged election tampering in the state in 2020, pushing for Georgia officials to "find" enough votes to overturn President Joe Biden's victory. 'Misguided' Lee is among Georgia's 159 counties, which encompass major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta and rural regions like the area surrounding Leesburg, with populations ranging from majority white to majority Black. Like many of its rural counterparts, Lee County voted heavily in 2020 for Trump, who received 72 percent of its votes. Poll workers such as those at the training will be stationed across the county's 10 voting precincts on November 5, when the United States chooses between Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, in addition to candidates in hundreds of down-ballot races. Because of lawsuits, Johnson is unsure if hand counting will actually happen. "Honestly, every election director I know really just wants to serve the people and not get bogged down by the political ramifications," she said, emphasizing that ballots are already counted by machine three times. Also read | 'Wasn't supposed to make it': Trump returns to Pennsylvania, blames opposition for trying to kill him Calling the rule change "misguided," Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that "activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures" only "undermine voter confidence and burden election workers," while Georgia's Republican attorney general has stated the new rule is likely illegal. The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia sued to block the rule last week, with the Harris campaign's backing. 'Untrusting' The state election board passed the rule by a three-to-two vote -- those in favour being staunch Trump backers, praised by the ex-president as "pit bulls" fighting for "victory." Along the same three-to-two lines, the board passed another rule in August allowing county election boards to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying results. Like the hand count requirement, the measure is being challenged in court, with critics particularly worried about the vagueness of the word "reasonable." Mitchell Brown, director of the election administration program at Auburn University in Alabama, told AFP such a rule is unnecessary given that election officials "have meetings regularly where they go through the documentation and the information with the certifying body." "The bigger, more interesting question to me is, what happens if a body chooses not to certify?" Back in Lee County, Donna Mathis, who has served as a poll worker since 2018, noted that the "country is divided so much." Asked about the hand count and reasonable inquiry rule, she said, "the hand count doesn't bother me" given how quickly they were able to tabulate the votes. But "I think you can inquire too much, it ties things up," she added. "People are just so untrusting any more that they question everything." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US elections 2024: Swing state Georgia's pro-Trump election board mandates hand counting of votes last minute

With a week left for&nbsp;the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">&nbsp;US elections</a>,&nbsp;the two leaders — the current Republican candidate and President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his Democrat rival and former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;— have started the last eg of election campaigning and are also covering the states which hold a minority of their party support.

The American voters have created history with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-american-voters-make-history-more-than-70-million-cast-ballots-338468">more than 70 million voters casting ballot</a> a week before the November 03 elections — a number that could lead to the highest voter turnout in percentage terms in more than a century.&nbsp; As of now, the opinion polls are showing Joe Biden to be the frontrunner, but realistically speaking both the leaders have a fair chance of winning.

The United States has a total of 50 states out of which few hold more importance than the rest. These states are called "swing states" — also known as "battlegrounds" informally.&nbsp;In the elections this year, these states comprise of 15 major states. These result for these states cannot be determined as of now as the states work in a balance and can lead to either&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;or&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;winning the claim on the White House for the next four years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-surge-in-can-i-change-my-vote-donald-trump-says-trend-refers-to-him-338447">Also read|&nbsp;Voters' remorse? Surge in 'can I change my vote' as US election nears</a>

The rest of the states are ones which have, in a way, already established their winner. Places such as&nbsp;New York and California are the areas where Trump&nbsp;cannot secure a win, while he can be crowned as undefeated in the Republican majority states such as&nbsp;Alabama or Oklahoma.

A swing states thi year is Arizona. The state has only voted for one Democrat — Bill Clinton&nbsp;(in 1996) — since 1952. In 2016,&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;won this state with a margin of four percent. However, the state has seen a radical shift in its political atmosphere since 2016, and thus&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;also has a chance of winning the state this year.

Colarodo and Florida are the next two swing states with Colarodo having elected three Republican candidates and three Democrats in the past six years. Last time in 2016,&nbsp;Hillary Clinton&nbsp;has won the state in opposition to the ultimate winner,&nbsp;Donald Trump.&nbsp;Florida, too, has been one of the most unpredictable states in the history of the US elections.&nbsp;Trump, in 2016, won the election by&nbsp;1.19 per cent and&nbsp;Barack Obama by&nbsp;0.88 per cent in 2012.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-joe-biden-slams-donald-trump-on-coronavirus-blunder-338432">Also read|&nbsp;US Election 2020: Joe Biden slams Donald Trump on coronavirus blunder</a>

Georgia is another state which has usually favoured Republicans but has also helped&nbsp;Bill Clinton&nbsp;back in 1992. The recet political scenario is taking a shift which can change the results in the upcoming elections.

States such as Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Minnesota,&nbsp;Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina&nbsp;have supported&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;in the past and will be critical in the upcoming elections as the voters have been tad bit undecided this year. Texas has been a Trump supporter for the last four years. However,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;has been putting in extra efforts to woo the Texas voters. However, Trump supporters have been vocal in upporting him this year too.

Each candidate's aim is to secure 270&nbsp;electoral votes, and each state's victory will put them a step closer to the swearing ceremony due in January 2021 at the White House.

The sudden shifts and the undecisive nature of the voters has been majorly due to the mail-in voting that has been adopted majorly by a lot of states this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The results of this year's elections can be delayed — a warning often highlighted by&nbsp;Trump.

With a week left for the US elections, the two leaders — the current Republican candidate and President Donald Trump and his Democrat rival and former Vice President Joe Biden — have started the last eg of election campaigning and are also covering the states which hold a minority of their party support.

With a week left for the US elections, the two leaders — the current Republican candidate and President Donald Trump and his Democrat rival and former Vice President Joe Biden — have started the last eg of election campaigning and are also covering the states which hold a minority of their party support. The American voters have created history with more than 70 million voters casting ballot a week before the November 03 elections — a number that could lead to the highest voter turnout in percentage terms in more than a century. As of now, the opinion polls are showing Joe Biden to be the frontrunner, but realistically speaking both the leaders have a fair chance of winning. The United States has a total of 50 states out of which few hold more importance than the rest. These states are called "swing states" — also known as "battlegrounds" informally. In the elections this year, these states comprise of 15 major states. These result for these states cannot be determined as of now as the states work in a balance and can lead to either Trump or Biden winning the claim on the White House for the next four years. Also read| Voters' remorse? Surge in 'can I change my vote' as US election nears The rest of the states are ones which have, in a way, already established their winner. Places such as New York and California are the areas where Trump cannot secure a win, while he can be crowned as undefeated in the Republican majority states such as Alabama or Oklahoma. A swing states thi year is Arizona. The state has only voted for one Democrat — Bill Clinton (in 1996) — since 1952. In 2016, Donald Trump won this state with a margin of four percent. However, the state has seen a radical shift in its political atmosphere since 2016, and thus Biden also has a chance of winning the state this year. Colarodo and Florida are the next two swing states with Colarodo having elected three Republican candidates and three Democrats in the past six years. Last time in 2016, Hillary Clinton has won the state in opposition to the ultimate winner, Donald Trump. Florida, too, has been one of the most unpredictable states in the history of the US elections. Trump, in 2016, won the election by 1.19 per cent and Barack Obama by 0.88 per cent in 2012. Also read| US Election 2020: Joe Biden slams Donald Trump on coronavirus blunder Georgia is another state which has usually favoured Republicans but has also helped Bill Clinton back in 1992. The recet political scenario is taking a shift which can change the results in the upcoming elections. States such as Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina have supported Biden in the past and will be critical in the upcoming elections as the voters have been tad bit undecided this year. Texas has been a Trump supporter for the last four years. However, Biden has been putting in extra efforts to woo the Texas voters. However, Trump supporters have been vocal in upporting him this year too. Each candidate's aim is to secure 270 electoral votes, and each state's victory will put them a step closer to the swearing ceremony due in January 2021 at the White House. The sudden shifts and the undecisive nature of the voters has been majorly due to the mail-in voting that has been adopted majorly by a lot of states this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The results of this year's elections can be delayed — a warning often highlighted by Trump.

Donald Trump vs Joe Biden: Swing states and their role in US Election 2020

The ultimate battle for White house is on, here we bring you all about the swing states in this battleground. Watch the report to know more

US Election 2020: Why are swing states more important than others?