Georgia Supreme Court overturns some election rules, curbing State Election Board's power

Georgia’s highest court is overturning four rules passed by the State Election Board just before last year’s general election. The state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the board overstepped its authority and intruded on lawmaking power reserved for legislators under Georgia’s Constitution. The court's unanimous decision limits the future rulemaking ability of the State Election Board and other executive branch agencies of Georgia’s government. In its decision, the court overturned requirements to hand-count ballots after the close of polls. It also said county election board members can't be required to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” that might delay finalizing results.