GEORGIA ELECTION LAW CHANGES

Washington DC

Description

What’s going on with Georgia’s new election law? Is it as bad as the Democrats say, or is it simply a way to make voting easier and more secure as Republicans claim? Republicans argued that the new law was designed to ensure free and fair elections because of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 elections, despite the fact that there was no evidence of election fraud. Democrats argue that it amounts to voter suppression. I decided to break it down and look at the new changes in an attempt to find the truth. I’ll provide the information; you provide the opinion. Here are the most significant changes to voting in the state Georgia, as written into the new law: · Time to request absentee ballots. Not earlier than 78 days or less than 11 days primary to election. It was 180 days. · ID requirements for absentee ballots. Provide Name, DOB, address and DL# or ID#, OR last 4 digits of SS#. Opponents say this disproportionately affects minority voters. · Mailing of absentee ballots: Elector or his/her authorized representative must request. Previously, applications were sent automatically; · Drop boxes: Drop boxes are not open until and unless advance voting is conducted at that location and are only open during business hours. The number of boxes has been reduced from 94 to approximately 23; Opponents say this is unfair as it forces voters to return ballots by mail; · Mobile voting centers (RVs) are no more, unless the Governor declares a State of Emergency; · Early voting is expanded in a lot of small counties, but probably not in more populous ones; with no requirement to open on Sundays. Opponents say this is unfair to black voters who often vote after Sunday services. · Offering food or water to voters waiting in line is not allowed. In the last election it was reported that some voters waited more than 6 hours to vote; Opponents say this is unfair to black voters who live in more densely populated urban areas, and who may not be willing to wait in lines. The U.S. Census and recent studies show that black voters are more likely to cast their votes in person on election day, and are reluctant to vote by mail. · If you go to the wrong polling place, you will need to sign a sworn statement giving reason for voting at wrong place; said votes will not be counted unless they are cast after 5 p.m. and before the close of the polling place; · Polling locations will close at 9pm unless extended by a Superior court judge. If, for any reason, ballots are unable to be cast, opening hours will be extended only for the amount of time the system was “off line”. Before this, a judge could arbitrarily decide how much longer the polls would remain open; · In high turnout elections, absentee ballots will not be counted until after the polls close, so there may be a longer wait for results ; · Election jurisdictions may not accept money from any source other than governing authority of municipal, county, State or federal governments. In the past private organizations could help pay counties for election costs; · Only the State Attorney General may establish and maintain a telephone hotline for complaints and allegations of voter intimidation or other illegal election activities. Previously this was done by a web of county elections officials and the Secretary of State; · The Secretary of State is removed as a voting member of the State Election Board. · The State Election Board may suspend county or municipal superintendents and appoint an individual to serve as temporary superintendent; This was not the result I imagined I would find. I have gone over each of these changes; I can find nothing that would hinder voting or disproportionally affect minority voters. Is it possible that this is a case of some simply crying wolf? Did MLB, Delta Airlines, Coca Cola, ViacomCBS, UPS and others have a knee-jerk reaction to public pressure and “cancel culture”? Were they justified in their decisions? No matter the truth, any boycott of Georgia will ultimately only hurt the working class people the boycotters think they are helping. LESSON: Trust, but verify. “Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.” - Edgar Allan Poe If you think I’m wrong, tell me why... Read this post and more at www.theintellectionist.com