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N.Y.C. Council speaker calls on Mayor Eric Adams to resign; KY could do more to protect kids from accidental drug ingestion, shootings; OH food banks face fed funding uncertainty, DeWine budget cuts; Protesters say Trump administration actions 'cast aside democracy.'

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On a Middle East visit, Sen. Richard Blumenthal rejects a Gaza takeover. President's Day protests erupt around the country against White House moves, and another aviation accident draws attention to recent FAA cuts.

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Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Last-minute GA election challenges put security under microscope

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Wednesday, November 6, 2024   

With Election Day over, Georgia officials and election integrity groups are focused on securing every vote, amid new rule changes and legal challenges.

A new report from the nonprofit Informing Democracy confirmed the state has strong election protections in place but warned of potential vulnerabilities. One rule requiring counties to hand-count ballots after machine tallies was recently blocked by judges, who ruled it came too close to Election Day.

Jenny Gimian, director of legal research and senior policy counsel for Informing Democracy, said while safeguards are in place, staying alert to the issues is crucial.

"Given the egregiousness of the rules they've attempted to put in place, we will be watching to ensure the State Board of Elections does not otherwise attempt to undermine the vote planning and certification processes," Gimian explained. "Additionally, we will be on the lookout for misinformation related to these, as some election deniers may try to use the fact that these rules were struck down to try to undermine confidence in the election."

In Cobb County, delays in mailing over 3,000 absentee ballots led the Georgia Supreme Court to rule only ballots received by 7 p.m. on Election Day would be counted, reversing an earlier extension and creating last-minute challenges for some voters.

Gimian pointed out her organization will closely monitor Georgia's 159 counties, each with its own approach to administering elections. The report shows local variations create both challenges and unique security measures, such as risk-limiting audits and paper ballot records.

Gimian believes if issues arise, the courts will ultimately safeguard election integrity.

"With so much focus on the actions of election officials, it's easy to overlook that elections are decided by the voters who cast ballots," Gimian emphasized. "When votes are cast, we're confident this fundamental piece of our democracy, the will of the voters, won't be devalued by the courts should their intervention be needed."

Results are due for certification by 5 p.m. on Nov. 12 and recount requests are possible until Nov. 14 if the margin is within one-half of 1%.


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