**Georgia Judge Questions New Hand-Count Voting Rule Ahead of November Election**

A Georgia judge expressed reservations during a court hearing on Tuesday regarding a contentious new rule proposed by the Georgia State Election Board. This rule mandates that thousands of voting precincts across the state hand-count ballots for the upcoming November elections. The hurried hearing was in response to a lawsuit from Cobb County's election board, one of several groups seeking to prevent the rule’s implementation just weeks before the November 5th polls.

The new directive, approved on September 20th, would involve three individuals in each precinct hand-counting ballots to ensure that their counts align. A poll manager would then verify these figures against machine tallies and address any discrepancies. This change is spearheaded by three Republican members of the five-person state election board, a group lauded by former President Donald Trump for their commitment to "honesty, transparency, and victory" at an August rally.

However, Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has criticized the hand-count requirement, arguing it introduces potential for errors, theft, and fraud. Research has indicated that hand-counting is generally slower and less accurate than using machines. Judge Robert C.I. McBurney echoed these concerns, questioning the appropriateness of implementing such a measure so close to the election, given its potential to cause significant disruption.

During the hearing, state board lawyer Robert Thomas countered that the Cobb County election board's concerns were speculative and not sufficient grounds to invalidate the rule. McBurney suggested that the election workers, rather than the state board, might be better judges of the rule’s practicality. Cobb County officials have pointed out that the new rule would require re-training 444 precinct workers across 148 polling locations within a very short timeframe.

The judge also highlighted the widespread criticism against the rule, citing opposition from Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr, who suggested the rule might be illegal, and the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials. This nonpartisan group consisting of over 500 officials and staff warned that the rule could cause delays, exhaust election workers, and undermine public trust in the outcome.

Additionally, the Cobb County board's lawsuit not only challenges this hand-count rule but also disputes five other recent rules instituted by the state board. Judge McBurney criticized the timing, asking the state board’s lawyer why the rule couldn’t be tested and implemented in a future election, rather than risking chaos in the imminent one.