A record-number of Georgia voters turned out on Tuesday for the start of early voting, with approximately 320,000 people casting their ballots. This significant voter turnout comes as a superior court judge blocked a rule that would have mandated ballots to be hand-counted by poll workers.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office reported that 320,000 individuals went to the polls to vote early, while an additional 24,000 people have already submitted their absentee ballots. This turnout surpassed the previous record set in 2020 when 136,000 ballots were cast on the first day of early voting.
The controversial rule that would have required poll workers to manually count sealed ballots was blocked by Judge Robert McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court. The law, which was passed by a Republican-majority State Election Board, aimed to ensure the number of ballots matched the machines’ count but did not require tallying votes for each candidate.
Judge McBurney’s injunction prevented the rule from taking effect on Tuesday, citing concerns over administrative chaos so close to the upcoming election. Both Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Republicans themselves, had cautioned against implementing the rule right before the election, highlighting potential difficulties and disorder.
The contentious election law changes in Georgia stem from concerns raised by former President Donald Trump over election integrity following the 2020 presidential election. Trump had falsely claimed victory and alleged fraudulent votes had enabled President Joe Biden to win, with Georgia being a focal point in his claims.
The election changes, pushed through by Trump-backed members of the State Election Board, were met with criticism and warnings of delays in election results certification. Despite claims by board members that the changes aimed to enhance integrity and stability, they were seen as echoing Trump’s baseless allegations of election fraud.
In the midst of ongoing legal proceedings involving Trump and others facing charges in Fulton County related to attempts to overturn election results, Georgia’s early voting turnout demonstrates the heightened awareness and engagement of voters in the state. The ruling to block the hand-counting rule has provided voters with clarity and assurance as they participate in the electoral process.