COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — The Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registrations filed a lawsuit in Superior Court to block the implementation a new rule put in place by the Georgia State Election Board.
The rule the Muscogee County Board opposes is the “Hand Count” rule. The rule states that after the polling place closes, and all votes have been cast, three sworn precinct polling officers will independently count the number of votes cast in each ballot box. They will not tabulate the vote totals for each candidate.
The Muscogee County board alleges the new voting rule implemented by the state board contradicts Georgia law, leaving the board in a state of legal uncertainty saying, “Compliance with the Hand Counting Rule runs contrary to O.C.G.A ss 21-2-420, which requires that after completing the required accounting and related documentation for a precinct, ‘the poll manager and at least one assistance manager shall… immediately deliver all required documentation and election materials to the election superintendent.’”