With Election Day still weeks away, many Americans have already begun casting their ballots, thanks to expanded early voting options. This shift, which saw over 100 million people voting early in 2020,

Some states use hand counts when conducting recounts in close elections, or as part of routine post-election audits, said Mark Lindeman, the policy and strategy director for Verified Voting, which supports the responsible use of technology in elections. A handful of tiny jurisdictions use hand counts in place of voting machines.

The Georgia State Election Board is set to vote on a controversial measure Friday that would require local precincts to conduct hand counts.