Georgia Republican Party Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, the project’s main sponsor, said when introducing legislation in February that limiting absentee voting was necessary to reduce ballot processing costs, relieve stress on voters. local electoral workers and increase the certainty of absentee ballots are counted.
“All we are trying to do here is make sure we can pay, the offices can administer and voters are certain that their votes have really been counted,” said Dugan.
Senate President Butch Miller, also a Republican, told CNN that the legislation aims to boost confidence in Peach State’s electoral system after the 2020 elections.
“I want all the legal votes counted, in a timely and accurate manner, and I want better access for all voters. Even those of us who never claimed that the election was stolen recognize that the electorate has lost confidence in the legitimacy of the system. We must work to restore that, “said Miller in an e-mailed statement to CNN.
The project also creates identification requirements for requesting an absentee card, requiring anyone who does not have a state ID or state driver’s license to present a copy of an approved identity document when requesting an absentee card, as well as when sending their absentee ballot.
The bill would also establish and maintain a voter hotline in the state attorney’s office for complaints and allegations of electoral intimidation and illegal electoral activities, would require Georgia to participate in a multi-state electoral registration system to verify voter eligibility. it would limit the use of mobile polling stations, require a court order to extend voting time, and give the legislature authority to temporarily block any emergency changes to voting rules amid a series of changes to electoral law.
Georgia’s Democratic lawmakers denounced the legislation as a setback to the record turnout of the 2020 election and the second rounds of January, which saw the state turn blue with President Joe Biden becoming the first Democrat to win the presidential election in Peach State. in almost three decades. And Georgia voters also elected two Democrats to the Senate in the second round of January.
“They (the Republicans) passed this law. They did not use it. The Democrats did. The Republican Party lost. And because of that, now, they want to change the laws back,” said Caucus Democrat President Senator Gloria. CNN Butler.
Voting rights activists say the bill would create additional barriers that “would restrict the freedom to vote”, while continuing unfounded allegations of electoral fraud by Republican Party officials.
“It is a double fight that we are in now: resisting this misinformation, which is extremely dangerous, and ahead of the vote itself, to ensure that these regressive projects are not turned into law,” said Poy Winichakul, the team’s lawyer. for the SPLC Action Fund.