Georgia state GOP lawmakers are enacting voting restrictions

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If passed, the eight proposed measures – following elections in which Democrats made historic gains in the state – could significantly reform Georgia’s electorate and have a significant impact on the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans, following a groundless argument often spearheaded by former President Donald Trump, claim that the measures are necessary to prevent voter fraud, even though there is no evidence that it played a role in the outcome of the 2020 election.

One of the bills would require an excuse to vote absent, reversing a 2019 law that does not allow an excuse for absenteeism. Under the bill, voters would have to be 75 years of age or older, absent from their district, observe a religious holiday, have a physical disability, constantly care for someone with a physical disability, or work ‘for protection of the health, life or safety of the public throughout the time the polls are open “to be eligible to vote absent.”

The bills would also prohibit the issuing of ballots and require voters to identify themselves when they request an absentee vote. Another bill would limit who can distribute requests for absentee votes to election officials and campaigns in Georgia, blocking outside groups and nonprofits from sending requests to voters.

Other measures put in place by state republican lawmakers would increase the poll watcher’s access, ban new Georgia residents from voting in run-offs, and mandate monthly updates to election officials of voters who have passed away.

Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Butch Miller, who co-supported the bills, said they “differ in their approach to reaffirming confidence in an electoral system that has lost credibility in a majority of Georgians.”

“I want every legal vote to be counted, and I want better access for all voters. Blaming our reform efforts for oppression is a political tactic, pure and simple. Even those of us who never claimed the election was stolen recognize the electorate. has lost faith in the legitimacy of the system and we must work to restore that, ”he said in a statement to CNN.

The package was outright scolded by Democratic lawmakers in the state after it was introduced.

“How sad is it to respond to election losses by changing election rules instead of changing the course of policy and tone?” state Democratic Rep. Josh McLaurin tweeted.
His message was echoed by Democratic state Sen. Nikki Merritt, who tweeted, “GA Republicans are so weak that the only way they can win is to block your access to votes.”
Teri Anulewicz, a representative of the democratic state, in the same way tweeted: “Good legislation makes a wrong right. It solves a problem. Voter suppression will not change why GA rejected the GOP in November and January.”
The Georgia Senate Democrats Twitter account also stated that the proposed measures are what happens when “Democrats win in GA”.
Analysis: False fraud claims fueled the Capitol riot. Now they are fueling the GOP's efforts to limit voting.

“These bills introduced today by the GA Senate GOP are a laundry list of #votersupression tactics designed to reverse voter participation, specifically aimed at reversing the impact of black voters and other voters of color” , the post said.

Democrats won both United States Senate seats in Georgia in the second election in January, and in November, President Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidential election in Peach state in nearly three decades.

Despite the absence of widespread security concerns with voting across the country, GOP lawmakers in battlefield states across the country have pushed for additional voting restrictions.

In Pennsylvania, Republicans want to repeal a law passed in 2019 by the GOP-led state legislature without excuse.

And in Arizona, one GOP-sponsored bill would repeal the state’s permanent list of early votes, allowing a voter to automatically receive a ballot in the mail for each election.

CNN’s Kelly Mena contributed to this report.

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