AP: Georgia election board approves new rules that critics fear could allow certification delays

Kate Brumback of the AP reports on Georgia’s state election board approval of a new rule that supporters say is necessary to ensure that votes are counted properly.

The rule also requires county officials to meet by 3 p.m. on the Friday after an election to review precinct returns — that’s before the 5 p.m. Friday deadline for overseas and military ballots to be returned and for any issues with provisional or absentee ballots to be rectified by voters. And it says county election officials “shall be permitted to examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections” before they certify results.

Republicans have repeatedly claimed they have been unable to see all the documents they wanted in Fulton County, although election board leaders said they provided access to all requested documents following the most recent election in May.

The State Election Board is considering a raft of proposed rule changes less than three months before the November general election. While the rule approved Monday should take effect by early September, any rules adopted at future meetings likely won’t be valid before overseas, military and some absentee ballots have been sent out.

Keep reading at the AP.