Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney has temporarily blocked a rule requiring Georgia ballots in the upcoming election to be counted by hand. The Republican-led State Election Board SEB had passed the rule in September, mandating that each ballot be hand-counted by three poll workers after the polls close.
However, Judge McBurney expressed concern that implementing the rule just before the election would introduce confusion and add unnecessary uncertainty to the process, particularly in the context of lingering tensions from the January 6 Capitol riot.
McBurney noted that while the rule appears to support election integrity on paper, its timing would lead to logistical challenges and undermine public confidence.
He emphasized that more than 7,500 poll workers, who would need to handle ballots multiple times, lack sufficient training to implement the rule without causing disorder.
The judge granted a temporary injunction, halting the rule’s enforcement for this election cycle, but suggested it might be feasible in future elections with proper preparation and training.
McBurney’s decision came as early voting began in Georgia, with record turnout surpassing previous years.