Georgia moves to limit voting access

Senate bill would end no-excuse absentee voting, require IDS

Georgia’s state Senate narrowly passed a bill that would end noexcuse absentee voting Monday, as Republicans move to roll back voting access after record turnout led to Democratic victories in the state’s presidential race and two U.S. Senate runoffs.

The bill is likely headed to a Senate-house conference committee where the chambers will hash out their difference on the issue. That could mean significant changes before the two chambers vote again on whether to agree to a compromise bill.

Senate Bill 241 would limit absentee voting to people 65 and older, those with a physical disability and people who will be out of town on Election Day — ending broad no-excuse absentee voting introduced by the Republican-led legislature in 2005. It would also require an ID for those who are able to vote absentee, among many other changes.

The bill passed the state Senate 29-20 in a vote that fell along party lines. Bills must get at least 29 votes for a majority in the 56-member Senate.

Several Republicans who could face tough reelection battles in quickly changing metro Atlanta districts didn’t vote, including Sens. John Albers, Kay Kirkpatrick and Brian Strickland. Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who has denounced efforts to limit who can vote absentee, refused to preside over the debate.

The bill is part of a flood of legislation introduced by Republicans across the country that would restrict voting access after President Joe Biden beat former President Donald Trump in November. Many proposals being floated target absentee voting after Trump repeatedly made false claims about fraud in mail voting.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, the chief sponsor of the bill, said a surge in absentee ballots during the last election cycle caused a burden on county election offices. More than a million Georgians used the option in November as the coronavirus pandemic raged.

“The increasing burden on local election offices and the increased cost to each of our counties has risen significantly,” Dugan said. “In recent years the number of mail-in absentee ballots has increased to the point where counties are in essence running three elections simultaneously.”

Dugan said about 2.7 million Georgians would still be eligible to vote absentee under the specific excuses outlined in the bill.

Democrats said the bill is a direct reaction to Trump’s lies about fraud and would disproportionately affect voters of color.

“The purpose of 241 and all of the vote-limiting bills that we have before us is to validate a lie,” Democratic Sen. Nikki Merritt said. “It is to prevent massive voter turnout from happening again, especially in minority communities, our new voters who are turning 18 and hard-working Georgians.”