Why is Georgia hand counting ballots and how will it affect the 2024 election?

On 20 September, the Georgia state election board voted 3-2 to require all counties to perform a hand count of ballots cast on election day to check the machine tabulations.

It was part of a suite of rules a pro-Trump majority has blitzed through in recent months that observers worry could cause confusion and open the door to undermining the election results.

Other new rules allow local election board members to undertake an undefined “reasonable inquiry” before they certify election results and allow them unlimited access to documents before they vote to certify.