The Republican National Committee and the Georgia Republican Party are appealing a decision by Judge Thomas Cox that ruled seven election rules passed by the Georgia State Election Board illegal. Cox ruled that the board had no authority to implement the rules and ordered their immediate voiding. Republicans claim the ruling undermines election safeguards. One of the overturned rules included hand-counting ballots to ensure accuracy. Critics argue that the hand-count rule could delay the reporting of results and overburden poll workers at the end of a long day, with insufficient time for proper training.