Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed on Thursday a comprehensive review of Republican-sponsored state elections, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and gives the legislature greater control over how elections are held.
Among other things, the law requires photo identification to vote absent in the mail, after more than 1.3 million Georgia voters used this option during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reduces the time that people have to request an absentee ballot and limits where the ballot boxes can be placed and when they can be accessed.
Democrats and voting groups say the law will disproportionately deprive voters of color. It is part of a wave of electoral bills backed by the Republican Party introduced in states across the country after former President Trump has fueled false claims that the fraud led to his defeat in the 2020 elections.
The bill, SB 202, passed the state chamber 100-75 on Thursday, before the state senate quickly agreed to the changes in chamber 34-20. Republicans in the legislature supported it, while Democrats opposed it.
Kemp commented on the bill during a live broadcast and was interrupted by Georgia State Representative Park Cannon, according to CBS affiliate WGCL-TV. Cannon, who was among a group of protesters, knocked on Kemp’s door and was later arrested by the police. She was accused of criminal obstruction of law enforcement and preventing or interrupting sessions of the General Assembly or other member meetings, a misdemeanor. She was later released.
Conservative groups welcomed the passage of the legislation, while liberals expressed their concern.
“While some on the left tried to suppress Georgian voters by promoting policies that undermine confidence in state elections, Governor Kemp and Georgia lawmakers struggled to restore voter confidence and confidence,” said conservative Heritage Action. “And today, they have succeeded – this is a huge victory for every Georgian voter and for our country. … Thanks to them, Georgia is leading the nation in free, fair and secure elections – the rest of the nation should follow. “
The Southern Poverty Law Center said Georgia’s Republican leaders were “cowed to extremists” with the legislation.
“Thousands of voters have made it clear that the types of provisions of SB 202 are unacceptable and will disproportionately harm historically disadvantaged communities, young voters and voters with disabilities,” said Nancy Abudu, deputy legal director of the SPLC Action Fund. “The speed and magnitude of today’s change in electoral politics in Georgia is unprecedented and unlike any other major political change in the state’s recent history.”
President Biden on Thursday at his first press conference as president expressed openness to amend the obstruction on certain issues, such as the right to vote.
“The obstruction broke and we were able to break the obstruction, get a quorum and vote. So I strongly support you to move in that direction, as well as having an open mind about how to deal with certain things that are – they are just elementary to how they work. of our democracy, like the right to vote – like the basic right to vote. We’ve changed obstruction in the past, “he said.