**DNC Files Lawsuit to Halt Georgia's New Hand-Count Rule Ahead of Election**

In a significant move as the November 5th election approaches, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has initiated legal action against the Georgia Election Board to prevent the implementation of a new rule that mandates a hand count of ballots. This decision, which was passed by a narrow 3-2 vote by supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, requires poll workers to hand count ballots to guarantee that they match machine-counted totals.

The DNC, in its petition to the Fulton County court, contends that the implementation of this rule will result in "significant delays" in reporting election results and create widespread confusion. Monica Guardiola, the DNC's acting Co-Executive Director, accused Trump's allies on the Georgia State Election Board of attempting to undermine confidence in the electoral process. "This rule is nothing more than a blatant attempt by Donald Trump and his MAGA lackeys on the Georgia State Election Board to cast doubt on our elections and undermine the outcome," Guardiola stated.

Despite a request for comment, a representative from the Georgia Election Board did not provide an immediate response.

This lawsuit is part of a broader trend of election-related legal battles that have intensified as the November 5th election draws near. Both former President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris are vying for the presidency in what appears to be a closely contested race, with polls indicating a tight competition that could be decided by pivotal states such as Georgia.

In a related legal battle in August, Democrats sued the Georgia Election Board over other controversial regulation changes. These changes grant local election officials the power to investigate results prior to their certification. Democrats argue that these regulations also aim to create delays and foster uncertainty regarding election outcomes. A trial concerning these changes is set to commence in Atlanta on Tuesday.