A crucial swing state has implemented changes to its voting procedures in preparation for the 2024 election, changes that are likely to receive former President Trump’s support.

The Georgia State Election Board has implemented important changes to improve the transparency and dependability of its election process. On Monday, the board endorsed new regulations mandating a manual count verification of vote totals at the conclusion of each voting day. The action is in line with a larger national initiative to guarantee that election results are both precise and trusted by the public.

The Board held a virtual meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday to finalize a new rule aimed at improving election transparency. The rule, which had been initially approved in July following a 3-2 vote led by Sharlene Alexander of the Fayette County election board, amends Section 183-1-12-.12(a)(5). The change outlines a procedure in which a poll manager and two poll officers will conduct a hand count of ballots at the end of each voting day.

The rule change comes at a crucial time for Georgia, which has been at the center of debates over election integrity since the contentious 2020 elections. The new procedure requires counties to reconcile paper ballot receipts with machine tabulations—a step that Kandiss Taylor, a prominent Georgia political figure, has argued should have always been standard practice.

BREAKING
GA State Election Board just voted 3-2 to force counties to reconcile the paper ballot receipt count with the tabulators.

Should have been happening!!!

Thank you to our 3 true Georgians on the SEB!

— Kandiss Taylor (@KandissTaylor) August 19, 2024

The decision is particularly significant as Georgia braces for another potentially contentious election cycle. With polls indicating a close race and a well-organized group of Trump-aligned election activists, the state is anticipated to be a major battleground for electoral disputes.

The state board, similar to independent agencies in other swing states, was created to establish voting rules and provide guidance for poll workers, ensuring elections are conducted with integrity and free from political influence.

The three polling officials will remove the paper ballots, record the date and time the box was emptied, and count the ballots independently, organizing them in stacks of 50. Each officer will participate in the counting process.