**Georgia Supreme Court Rejects Attempt to Fast-Track New Election Rules**

In a significant ruling, Georgia's Supreme Court has turned down an effort to introduce a series of contentious new election rules ahead of the upcoming election. This decision dealt a blow to a Republican-led initiative that sought to change the way elections are conducted in the state.

On Tuesday, the court issued a succinct order declining to reinstate seven new rules that had previously been approved by the State Election Board. The court's decision also blocked an expedited appeal, effectively shutting down any chance for these rules to be implemented before Election Day.

The controversial rules had already been declared "illegal, unconstitutional and void" by a lower level Georgia judge on October 16. The proposed changes included a requirement for ballots to be hand-counted and modifications related to the certification of election results. These rules were backing by three out of the five members of the State Election Board, all of whom had endorsements from former President Donald Trump.

Opposition to these new rules did not come solely from Democratic circles. Many state Republican officials questioned their legality and feasibility, expressing concerns that a hand count could significantly delay election results and arguing that it was too late to adequately train election workers for their new duties.

Among the other contested rules was one that would have obligated county officials to review all election-related documentation, a task seen as potentially burdensome. Another rule called for officials to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying results, though the specifics of what that inquiry entailed were not clearly defined.

While the Georgia Supreme Court did not entirely dismiss the appeal, they made it clear that the case would proceed through the usual legal processes. "When the appeal is docketed in this court, it will proceed in the ordinary course," the justices noted in their order.

This decision ensures that the existing election procedures will remain unchanged, providing a sense of continuity and stability for the upcoming election amidst the backdrop of these legal battles.