This week marks a dire turning point for democracy in Georgia as Governor Brian Kemp (R) has signed into law Senate Bill 189, alongside two other concerning election bills, on the final day of the legislative session. These laws, collectively serving as tools of voter suppression, will wield significant changes in the electoral landscape of the Peach State as we approach the pivotal 2024 elections. We have been monitoring the changes around election laws for quite a while and the pattern of voter suppression in Georgia is even more perilous.
Senate Bill 189, the most contentious among the trio, introduces provisions that could profoundly impact the integrity of elections in Georgia. Building upon the controversial omnibus voting law passed by the Republican majority in 2021, this bill allows any resident to challenge the eligibility of voters in their county without constraint. Furthermore, it lowers the bar for disqualifying voters by permitting challenges based on arbitrary factors such as registration status or residency in another jurisdiction. Alarmingly, it sanctions the removal of voters from rolls up to 45 days prior to an election, a clear violation of federal law under the National Voter Registration Act.
Adding to the concern, S.B. 189 alters ballot access rules, granting presidential candidacy to individuals meeting qualifications in just 20 states, potentially amplifying the influence of independent candidates like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at the expense of voter representation.
In a parallel move, House Bill 974, also enacted today, ostensibly promotes transparency by making all ballots accessible to the public via the Georgia Secretary of State’s website while safeguarding voter anonymity. However, this measure aligns with a concerning trend in Republican-led states, including Texas, of empowering citizen-led audits, catalyzed by baseless claims and disinformation surrounding the 2020 election.
Finally, House Bill 1207, now law, imposes citizenship requirements on election workers and diminishes the number of voting machines available per polling location, potentially exacerbating voter suppression.
In response to the impending threat posed by S.B. 189, the Georgia NAACP has comtemplated legal action after Governor Kemp signed the bill into law. "Ballot Access and Voting rights are the heart and soul of our democracy. These attacks on Voting Rights and Ballot Access violate Federal Law." stated Gerald Griggs, President of the Georgia NAACP. "We are already consulting with our lawyers and planning legal action against the State of Georgia."
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