Georgia's early voting kicked off with an unprecedented turnout, coinciding with a court blocking an order to hand-count ballots, a decision that could disrupt election integrity. Judge Robert McBurney halted the order, citing a lack of training and potential for chaos if poll workers were required to hand-count and verify millions of ballots. The contentious hand-count rule, introduced by a pro-Trump board, faced criticism that it could delay or obstruct election certification.
The decision was welcomed by Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who sees it as a protection against political maneuvering. On the first day of voting, Georgia witnessed a record 328,000 voters casting ballots, a sharp rise from 136,000 at the same stage in 2020.
In the 2020 election, Democratic President Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia by under 12,000 votes, a result former President Trump continues to dispute, having faced charges for attempting to alter the outcome. The hand-count rule would have required extensive manual ballot checks, potentially delaying results certification.
The judge highlighted that the rushed implementation could damage public trust, reflecting unresolved tensions since the January 6 Capitol events. On Tuesday, Trump held a rally in Atlanta, reaffirming baseless election fraud claims and urging supporters for a decisive victory. Meanwhile, Harris focused on mobilizing black voters, urging continued political participation despite Trump’s efforts to engage the demographic. Her campaign criticized the hand-count rule as a tactic to undermine the electoral process.
Further legal disputes continue in Georgia, pivotal for the Trump-Harris race, with courts addressing various election-related legal challenges. Judge McBurney recently confirmed that election boards must certify results, maintaining electoral integrity amidst the ongoing politically charged climate.
The decision was welcomed by Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who sees it as a protection against political maneuvering. On the first day of voting, Georgia witnessed a record 328,000 voters casting ballots, a sharp rise from 136,000 at the same stage in 2020.
In the 2020 election, Democratic President Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia by under 12,000 votes, a result former President Trump continues to dispute, having faced charges for attempting to alter the outcome. The hand-count rule would have required extensive manual ballot checks, potentially delaying results certification.
The judge highlighted that the rushed implementation could damage public trust, reflecting unresolved tensions since the January 6 Capitol events. On Tuesday, Trump held a rally in Atlanta, reaffirming baseless election fraud claims and urging supporters for a decisive victory. Meanwhile, Harris focused on mobilizing black voters, urging continued political participation despite Trump’s efforts to engage the demographic. Her campaign criticized the hand-count rule as a tactic to undermine the electoral process.
Further legal disputes continue in Georgia, pivotal for the Trump-Harris race, with courts addressing various election-related legal challenges. Judge McBurney recently confirmed that election boards must certify results, maintaining electoral integrity amidst the ongoing politically charged climate.
