Some in GOP want ballots to be counted by hand, not machines

By HOLLY RAMER and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY
Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in at least six states have introduced legislation that would require all ballots to be counted by hand instead of electronic tabulators, and similar proposals are being floated in some county and local governments around the U.S. The push comes as the nation continues to deal with the fallout from the 2020 election and false claims of a stolen election by former President Donald Trump, despite no evidence of widespread fraud. Critics say it’s unrealistic to think election officials can count millions of ballots by hand and report results quickly. Multiple studies have shown that counting by machine isn’t just faster — it’s also more accurate.