Early in-person voting kicks off in Georgia on Tuesday as uncertainty over new election rules looms large in a state that will decide this year's presidential election.

A record number of early votes have been cast in Georgia on Tuesday as residents headed to the polls in a critical battleground state that is grappling with the fallout from Hurricane Helene and controversial election administration changes that have spurred a flurry of lawsuits.

Democrats and Republicans alike have crusaded for residents to get to the polls early as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris aggressively seek the state’s 16 electoral votes.

The State Election Board last month passed the rule requiring that three poll workers each count the paper ballots — not votes — by hand after the polls close.

A judge on Tuesday blocked a controversial new Georgia election rule that would have required poll workers to hand count ballots, handing another setback to allies of former President Donald Trump. The rule,

The ruling was confined to the current election, halting the measure from going into effect for 2024 while the judge further weighs its merits in the future.