The Georgia State Election Board is preparing to vote on a divisive proposal this Friday that mandates local precincts to conduct hand counts in the November election and verify that these counts align with machine results before finalizing the election outcomes.

This proposed rule is one of several currently being reviewed as three Republican members, endorsed by Trump, who have held the board’s majority since May, are considering numerous changes to the state’s electoral procedures just ahead of the upcoming election.

The Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials, comprising over 500 nonpartisan state officials, conveyed their concerns in a letter on Tuesday regarding the recent flurry of proposals.

“Election officials are training thousands of poll workers daily across the state and are already engaged in educating the public about what to expect during the voting process,” the group noted. “We respectfully request that these proposed rules and any additional petitions for rulemaking be delayed until 2025.”

Specifically, the hand-counting rule could slow down result reporting, overwhelm tired workers, and “undermine the very confidence that the rule’s author claims to seek,” according to the election officials.

Members of the election board have not provided immediate comments when contacted. Elections board member Janelle King previously indicated to YSL News her aim is “to ensure that every vote is counted accurately and that every election is conducted correctly moving forward.”

Former President Donald Trump has publicly commended King along with fellow board members Janice Johnston and Rick Jeffares, referring to them as “pit bulls” striving for “victory.”

Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger raised similar concerns during an election forum on Thursday, pointing out that there are 2,400 precincts in Georgia that would need to follow the hand-counting directive, which could delay results and compromise the security of the paper ballots.

“It’s not advisable to implement major amendments to the election process just 90 days prior to an election,” Raffensperger stated. “Increasing the number of variables increases the chances of failure.”

Controversial last-minute changes

The board has faced backlash for new rules established in August that critics believe may delay the certification process and create disorder.

However, supporters of the changes argue that they aim to enhance accuracy and reinforce public trust in the electoral system.

Ken Cuccinelli, a former Virginia Attorney General and Trump administration official, defended during the board’s August 19 meeting a rule that mandates counties to investigate even minor discrepancies between ballots cast and the number of registered voters in a precinct before confirming results.

“If more ballots are found than there are voters, it’s crucial to address that issue promptly,” he emphasized.

The Georgia Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against the board over two rules approved in August, fearing they could hinder timely certification of election results. One rule requires counties to perform a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying outcomes, while the other is the one defended by Cuccinelli. The lawsuit focuses particularly on a section of the latter rule that permits local election officials to review election-related documents generated during the election.

The Georgia Democrats seek a court ruling to clarify that the state’s certification deadlines are mandatory, regardless of the new rules. A trial date has been set for October 1 to address this matter expeditiously.

Contributing: Erin Mansfield