A Georgia judge on Tuesday blocked a new rule from the state's election board that would have required counties to count ballots cast on Election Day by hand, a provision critics had said would cause delays and disruptions in reporting results in the battleground state.

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.

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.