As the Georgia State Election Board prepares to vote on a proposal to hand-count ballots on Election Day, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is voicing strong opposition. The rule, put forward by Sharlene Alexander from the Fayette County Board of Elections, would require manual counting by poll workers, who would have to sort ballots into stacks and compare results to machine tallies. Any discrepancies would need to be resolved by the poll manager.
In a statement, Raffensperger criticized the proposal as “misguided,” pointing to Senate Bill 202, which emphasizes the importance of quickly and accurately reporting election results. Raffensperger argued that implementing hand-counting would likely lead to delays and weaken the security of the election process. “The General Assembly passed S.B. 202 to ensure quick and reliable results, but this proposal risks undermining those efforts,” he stated.
Alexander, defending the proposal, highlighted that hand-counting was a “long-standing tradition” in Fayette County, only halted in 2022 by the state’s election office. She believes the practice can enhance transparency and voter confidence, even if it takes more time.
The State Election Board’s decision, expected on August 19, comes amid broader discussions on election integrity in Georgia. The board recently adopted a rule allowing more time for verifying election results, which some fear could result in delays. Raffensperger has been vocal in his criticism of these changes, referring to the board as “unelected bureaucrats” without direct experience running elections.
The five-member board, consisting of four Republicans and one Democrat, is facing increasing scrutiny as the state continues to grapple with election security concerns. The outcome of the vote could set a significant precedent for future Georgia elections.
