ATLANTA (October 16, 2024) — Today,Sen. Donzella James (D–Atlanta), Chairwoman of the Senate Standing Committee on Urban Affairs, praised Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney’s ruling to stop the State Election Board’s hand-count requirement. The ruling declared the Election Board’s Hand Count Rule to be “too much, too late,” while the Court continues to consider the matter.
On October 1, Sen. James and fellow Democratic colleagues held a Senate Committee on Urban Affairs meeting to discuss election infrastructure. The committee specifically focused on the Election Board’s hand-count requirement and heard concerns from various Georgia voters and subject experts alike.
“This court ruling is an important first step toward eliminating an unfunded mandate that would gravely inconvenience Georgia voters, overburden our state’s poll workers, and add an unnecessary expense while we continue to prioritize balancing our state’s budget,” said Sen. Donzella James. “Our committee worked hard to highlight the problems with this last-minute requirement, and I am confident our discussion and the public comment that we held earlier this month were instrumental in starting the conversation that ultimately led to the court’s decision to put the hand-count on hold.”
More information on the full court case is available here.
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Sen. Donzella James serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Urban Affairs. She represents the 35th Senate District, which includes portions of Douglas and Fulton counties. She may be reached by phone at 404.463.1379 or by email at donzella.james@senate.ga.gov
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