| 7 | | - | a hand accounting of ballots following the computation, canvassing, and tabulation of returns3 |
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| 8 | | - | in an election; to address discrepancies raised by such hand accountings; to provide for the4 |
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| 9 | | - | termination of such hand accountings if they conflict with other duties of the superintendent;5 |
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| 10 | | - | to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 |
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| 20 | + | manual recounts of ballots following the computation, canvassing, and tabulation of returns3 |
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| 21 | + | in an election; to address discrepancies raised by such recounts; to provide for the4 |
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| 22 | + | termination of such recounts if they conflict with other duties of the superintendent; to repeal5 |
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| 23 | + | conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 |
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| 11 | 24 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 |
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| 12 | 25 | | SECTION 1.8 |
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| 13 | 26 | | Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and9 |
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| 14 | 27 | | primaries generally, is amended in Code Section 21-2-493, relating to computation,10 |
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| 15 | 28 | | canvassing, and tabulation of returns, investigation of discrepancies in vote counts, recount11 |
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| 16 | 29 | | procedure, posting of digital images of scanned paper ballots, certification of returns, and12 |
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| 17 | 30 | | change in returns, by adding a new subsection to read as follows:13 |
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| 18 | | - | "(h.1)(1) Upon completing all tasks required by subsections (a) through (h) of this Code14 |
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| 19 | | - | section, the superintendent may conduct a hand accounting of all ballots cast in one race15 |
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| 20 | | - | appearing on such ballots within a county or municipality. Such hand accounting shall16 |
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| 21 | | - | H. B. 604 (SUB) |
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| 22 | | - | - 1 - 25 LC 47 3513S |
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| 23 | | - | occur at the same location as the computation and canvassing provided for in subsection17 |
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| 24 | | - | (a) of this Code section and shall be open to the public. For the purpose of such a hand18 |
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| 25 | | - | accounting, the superintendent may organize his or her assistants into sections, each of19 |
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| 26 | | - | whom may simultaneously proceed with the hand accounting provided for by this20 |
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| 27 | | - | subsection.21 |
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| 28 | | - | (2) The results of such hand accounting shall be unofficial, but if the results of such a22 |
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| 29 | | - | hand accounting indicate a discrepancy with the official results of the computation,23 |
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| 30 | | - | canvassing, and tabulation provided for in this Code section, any such discrepancy shall24 |
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| 31 | | - | be addressed as provided for in subsections (b) through (h) of this Code section.25 |
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| 32 | | - | (3) The hand accounting provided for in this subsection shall in no way delay or inhibit26 |
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| 33 | | - | the superintendent from complying with any requirements of this chapter. If an ongoing27 |
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| 34 | | - | hand accounting will prevent a superintendent from meeting any of the requirements of28 |
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| 35 | | - | any provision of this chapter, such accounting shall be immediately terminated."29 |
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| 36 | | - | SECTION 2.30 |
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| 37 | | - | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.31 |
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| 38 | | - | H. B. 604 (SUB) |
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| 31 | + | "(h.1)(1) Upon completing all tasks required by subsections (a) through (h) of this Code |
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| 32 | + | 14 |
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| 33 | + | section, the superintendent may conduct a manual recount of all ballots cast within a15 |
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| 34 | + | county or municipality. Such manual recount shall occur at the same location as the16 |
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| 35 | + | H. B. 604 |
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| 36 | + | - 1 - 25 LC 47 3444 |
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| 37 | + | computation and canvassing provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section and shall17 |
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| 38 | + | be open to the public. For the purpose of such a manual recount, the superintendent may18 |
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| 39 | + | organize his or her assistants into sections, each of whom may simultaneously proceed19 |
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| 40 | + | with the manual recount provided for by this subsection.20 |
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| 41 | + | (2) The results of such manual recount shall be unofficial, but if the results of such a21 |
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| 42 | + | manual recount indicate a discrepancy with the official results of the computation,22 |
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| 43 | + | canvassing, and tabulation provided for in this Code section, any such discrepancy shall23 |
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| 44 | + | be addressed as provided for in subsections (b) through (h) of this Code section.24 |
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| 45 | + | (3) The manual recount provided for in this subsection shall in no way delay or inhibit25 |
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| 46 | + | the superintendent from complying with any requirements of this chapter. If an ongoing26 |
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| 47 | + | manual recount will prevent a superintendent from meeting any of the requirements of27 |
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| 48 | + | any provision of this chapter, such recount shall be immediately terminated."28 |
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| 49 | + | SECTION 2.29 |
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| 50 | + | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.30 |
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| 51 | + | H. B. 604 |
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