SC Election Supervisor Clarifies New Election Rule

As reported yesterday by WNEG News, the Georgia State Election Board, last week, voted to approve a new rule regarding the upcoming General Election on November 5.

The new hand-counting rule requires counties to count by hand the number of ballots cast at a polling place, to make sure it matches the number of ballots tallied by voting machines. 

WNEG News spoke yesterday with Stephens County Election Supervisor Bruce Carlisle to clear up any confusion about what the rule actually requires, and how it will – or will not – impact the voting process in Stephens County. He said that the standard process in Stephens County already includes hand-counting the ballots to check the total ballots cast against the number of ballots recorded by the machines – and that is typically done the day after the election. He said the new rule addresses that process that is already in place here, but stipulates that, for precincts that have fewer than 750 ballots in the scanner at the end of voting, the hand count must take place on Election night. 

He emphasized that the hand count is simply a count of the ballots, not a vote tabulation.

He talked about the risk-limiting audit process, which is the process where actual votes are verified on specific ballots in a random check process implemented at the state election office.

WNEG News ask Carlisle if anything about the new rule would delay local election officials announcing election results, and he said no, noting that results announced on election night are always uncertified, unofficial results and are not certified until verified by the Election board later in the week.

Carlisle mentioned the speed with which the county completed the election results processed during the last voting period. 

He said the county is ready for the election, with some testing already having been completed on the equipment. 

Carlisle talked about the absentee and advance in person voting timeline.

Also, as posted and advertised as required by the local Elections office, the county’s mandated Logic and Accuracy testing will commence on today, Sept. 24, at 9 a.m. and will continue until complete. Testing will take place at the Stephens County Historic Courthouse located at 37 w. Tugalo Street in Toccoa.

Testing and preparation will be conducted on voting components that will be used during the November 05, General Election.  Representatives of political parties and bodies, news media, and the public are permitted to observe the Logic and Accuracy testing. 

Advance in Person voting for the November 05 General Election will begin on Tuesday, October 15, and end on Friday, November 01. Voting will take place each weekday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. Saturday voting will take place on October 19 and October 26, from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. Election day voting will be Tuesday, November 05, from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm. All voting will take place at the Stephens County historic courthouse, located at 37 w. Tugalo Street in Toccoa.