A Georgia judge must decide whether to squash new state election rules, including a controversial change requiring hand-counted verification of ballots, in the final weeks before November’s election.

Fulton County Superior Judge Robert McBurney heard arguments Tuesday about six new rules instituted by Georgia’s State Election Board, which lawyers for Cobb County’s election board said could hinder a smooth contest this fall.

The Republican-led state board has come under scrutiny for passing a series of last-minute rule changes that election officials have warned could sow “chaos” at the polls.

“This is not one rogue local election board trying to pick a fight with the State Election Board,” said Michael Caplan, a lawyer for the Cobb County board.

“This is a case where the chief legal officer of the state — the chief officer of the state, that comprises different populations, different demographics — all have serious questions regarding how this election is to happen in two weeks.”

The rules are set to go into effect Oct. 22, just two weeks before the election, and after early voting in the state is underway. The Democratic National Committee intervened in the lawsuit.

The rule that would require a hand-count of the number of paper ballots after polls close has drawn specific concern.

Under the rule, three poll workers at each facility will be required to count the physical ballots, not votes, “separately” and........

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