Georgia: Election Board votes in favor of hand counting votes
The decision was approved with three votes in favor and two against.
File image of a polling station.
Georgia's election board voted to allow poll workers to hand-count ballots on election night. The decision passed with three votes in favor and two against.
With the measure, votes will continue to be recorded on a machine. After, poll workers will hand count the ballots and compare the numbers to the machine tally.
"Proponents say this will make state elections more secure and transparent," explained CBS News.
This is be the first of several reforms the board is planning. Fox 5 reported that the board is considering "nearly a dozen election rule changes, including a proposal to publicly post the names of all registered voters."
Meanwhile, opponents of the measure claimed that the new rule will delay the electoral process, especially in larger counties. Election workers are also concerned that this could generate logistical problems.
However, many voters are in favor of the rule believing that it will keep elections more transparent, free and fair.
"Any way we can tighten up elections and ensure transparency is critical to voter confidence," an aide in favor of the new rules told Fox 5.
In addition, the approved changes will take effect in 20 days, just as ballots for overseas and military voters are mailed out and early in-person voting begins.
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