On March 29, the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia criticized the state legislature for passing a new voting bill that they believe violates the National Voter Registration Act.
If Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law, the ACLU has threatened to file a lawsuit.
“The essence of our democracy lies in ensuring access to the ballot. The Georgia ACLU executive director, Andrea Young, stated that this election ‘Frankenbill’ is in violation of the National Voter Registration Act. We are dedicated to safeguarding the rights of Georgia voters, and if the governor approves this bill, we will pursue legal action.”
According to the ACLU, Georgia Senate Bill 189 has been criticized for several reasons. It is argued that the bill facilitates the filing of “baseless, mass voter challenges,” and imposes strict deadlines for counting advance and absentee ballots. Additionally, the bill introduces changes to ballot design and imposes burdensome requirements on election workers. Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the negative impact on unhoused citizens.
The bill was passed with a majority of votes from the Republican party.
The bill has the potential to hinder the Georgia secretary of state’s authority in certifying the results of the 2024 election.
Any third party can now be included on the Georgia ballot without requiring petition signatures from the state. This is possible as long as the party has already been granted access to ballots in a minimum of 20 states or territories.
The provision could potentially simplify the process for third-party presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in gaining access to the ballot in the battleground state.
All homeless individuals in the state will need to update their current registrations by registering with county registrars under the new bill. They will no longer have the option to register to vote at shelters or any other location, and must instead visit the registrar’s offices for this purpose.
One of the notable changes is the expansion of challenges to voter registrations.
Civil rights activist Andrew Young expressed concern regarding the potential consequences of strict voter ID laws. He emphasized that these laws can inadvertently discourage people from exercising their right to vote. Young further criticized the voter ID laws, suggesting that they provide an opportunity for individuals with ulterior motives to challenge voters’ eligibility. According to him, this could lead to the rise of anti-democratic vigilantes who aim to suppress certain groups from participating in the electoral process.
The proposed legislation aims to prohibit the use of post office boxes as mailing addresses for voter registration. This could potentially impact small towns with limited residents, as they rely on post office boxes for their mail delivery due to the absence of individual home addresses.
According to Young, the ACLU firmly believes that voting should be accessible for every citizen. She strongly opposes any attempts to impose obstacles that hinder Georgia citizens from exercising their right to have a say in their government, as she views such actions as fundamentally undermining the democratic process.
