Trump backs Republicans on Georgia Board of Elections

During a rally in Atlanta earlier this month, former President Donald Trump voiced his support for three Republicans on the Georgia State Election Board, commending their efforts to uphold "integrity" in the upcoming 2024 election. The board has become the epicenter of doubts regarding the vote counting process in Georgia, a pivotal state in the presidential election. The board's recent approval of new rules allows local officials across Georgia's 159 counties to question the election before certifying its results, a move that has drawn criticism from legal and election experts.

Expanded Role of Local Officials

The newly approved rules, which have the potential to delay the certification of presidential results beyond the strict deadline of Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. ET, allow county boards to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying Georgia elections. This vague requirement has raised concerns about its potential to provoke unnecessary delays in declaring election winners.

Furthermore, the rules permit county board members to examine all election-related documentation created during the conduct of elections, without specifying which documents are included in this examination. Additionally, the rules require county officials to reconcile the number of ballots with the number of voters before computing or certifying any votes.

Criticism and Legal Challenges

Georgia's State Election Board faced criticism from within and outside the Democratic Party and civil rights groups who have long opposed Trump's actions and rhetoric related to elections and participated in the bipartisan effort to certify the most recent presidential election. Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's top election official, referred to the State Board's actions as a "mess" and expressed concern about the potential delays in the certification of presidential race results.

The expansion of local officials' roles in questioning election results and the potential for unsubstantiated challenges to the integrity of the vote counting process raise concerns about the impact on voter confidence and the efficient conduct of elections. Critics argue that these new rules could enable political actors to sow doubt and challenges to election outcomes, undermining the smooth and timely certification of results.