A hearing was held in Cobb County’s lawsuit against the State Elections Board (SEB) regarding new rules imposed by the SEB, including hand-counting ballots after polls close. The rule has also sparked a lawsuit filed by Georgia Democratic officials. Cobb County, a suburban area anchored by the city of Marietta, is challenging the SEB’s rules, arguing that they put election boards in an untenable position. During the hearing, the SEB defended the hand-counting rule as a measure to ensure accurate machine tabulation, while the plaintiffs expressed concerns about the practicality and effect on exhausted poll workers.
Republican Party officials have supported the rule as a way to ensure voter confidence, while Democrats believe it creates doubt in the process. The plaintiffs pointed out that several state officials, including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have opposed the rule changes. The attorneys argued that the hand-counting rule would place a significant strain on poll workers who already work long hours on Election Day. The judge presiding over the case questioned the timing of the rule change and suggested that it could be implemented in the next election cycle to avoid chaos and uncertainty.
The SEB attorney criticized the plaintiffs’ arguments as conjecture, stating that there is no imminent threat from the hand-counting rule. He argued that the concerns raised were hypothetical and speculative, rather than based on actual evidence of harm. The judge also pointed out that the rule could be a resource drain, but does not directly interfere with the certification process. In a separate case, the judge ruled that county elections supervisors cannot delay certification of results based on suspicion of fraud or mistakes, adding to the complexity of election disputes in Georgia.
This hearing comes amidst a flurry of lawsuits expected around the vote count and voter access in the upcoming election. With just three weeks until voters head to the polls, the outcome of these legal battles could have a significant impact on the election process in Georgia. Both parties are working to ensure fair and accurate elections, but are at odds over the best approach to achieve this goal. The judge’s decision in these cases will be crucial in determining how election rules are implemented and enforced in the state. Voters will be closely watching these legal battles as they prepare to make their voices heard on November 5th.
