Chaos looms in Georgia as experts warn new election rule may erode trust
New counting rule in the swing state requires ballots to be hand-counted in batches of 50 and cross-checked against machine tallies, risking significant delays and amplifying disinformation in an already polarising election.
Georgia has shifted in and out of swing state status over the years, but this election it stands as one of the most closely watched battlegrounds./ Photo: X
In the US battleground state of Georgia, officials from both Republican and Democratic parties have united in opposition to a recently introduced hand-counting rule for votes.
Describing it as a redundant move laden with risks, experts warn that the new measure could undermine the integrity and efficiency of elections in a state critical to the 2024 race.
"This decentralised approach seems practical on the surface," said Dr Eleanor McGuire, a politics lecturer in Georgia, in an interview with TRT World.
"But the reality is, the rule doesn’t fix any existing issues. Instead, it creates fresh problems: ambiguity, delays, and the risk of disinformation. Georgia's election system is already strong, and this rule only undercuts the trust we've built here.”
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's Republican Secretary of State, has already called the rule a "waste of time," stating that it places a heavy burden on already overworked election staff.
Charged political season
Coming at the peak of a highly charged political season, concerns are echoed by those on the ground who know all too well the complexity of running a smooth election in a swing state where every vote could tip the balance.
The rule, pushed through by the Georgia State Election Board, demands that ballots be counted by hand in batches of 50, with those results cross-checked against machine tallies.
At face value, it might sound like a reasonable step towards transparency. Yet for those tasked with implementing it, the rule promises more chaos than clarity.
It feels like a step backwards, and that’s deeply worrying for the future of our democracy
In small and rural counties, where resources are scarce, this could lead to substantial delays, experts say.
In the political tinderbox that the Peach State has become, even a minor hiccup in vote counting could ignite widespread distrust. Georgia remains one of the most fiercely contested states in the 2024 elections.
Recent polls show Donald Trump gaining an edge in the state. While he and Kamala Harris were neck-and-neck until August, Trump now holds a two-point lead in the latest figures. In the Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll, they remain tied at 49%, but FiveThirtyEight’s latest data shows Trump leading by one point.
As election day nears, Georgia's status as a critical battleground has only intensified.
The opposition to the new rule has been sharp, sparking several legal challenges.
Jessica Martin, a Democrat involved in election operations, expressed her concerns, "This isn’t just about logistical hurdles," she told TRT World.
"It sends the wrong message — as though we don't trust our existing systems. In large counties, I don't envy the teams tasked with managing this process on the ground."
With Georgia's electoral atmosphere already fraught with tension, the introduction of the new rule has only added fuel to the fire.
As Dr McGuire put it, "At a time when trust in our elections is paramount, this law is feeding cynicism. It feels like a step backwards, and that’s deeply worrying for the future of our democracy."
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