Peach Tree Times

Senate Republicans' successful filibuster of the federal voting bill S.1 and its counterpart H.R. 1 last week helped protect Georgia's SB 202 election law. 

H.R. 1, Section 1903, would have allowed for the circumvention of state laws that require voters to show forms of identification to verify their name and address. Voters instead would have been able to sign an affidavit as to their identity, Fox News reported. 

"This unconstitutional resolution would strip states of their constitutional responsibility as the referees of their elections by subverting local and state rules with the rule of coastal elitist politicians,” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), told Fox News.

SB 202 requires showing identification to vote, provides free voter IDs for those without them and promotes ballot dropbox security. It also forms stricter rules for absentee voting and expands the access to early voting, Empire State Today said.  

The passing of SB 202 in Georgia is something that 97% of registered Georgia voters already have or can easily obtain, Heritage Action reported. An online poll by the AJC in January revealed 74% of Georgia voters supported SB 202 and new voting laws, including 63% of black voters, and 89% of those making under $25,000 a year, Heritage Action reported.

While H.R. 1 had already passed the House, Senate Republicans officially were able to block S.1, consequently blocking H.R. 1 as well. All 50 Republican Senators were opposed, Fox News said. 

The Committee on House Administration said that H.R. 1 would have funded campaigns with federal fines on businesses by creating a 6:1 matching system for small dollar donations. Meaning that for every campaign donation of $200 or less,there would be a federal contribution match of $1,200 or less, "coming from a charge on corporate and high taxpayer settlements with the Federal government."

“Democrats did not write the Corrupt Politicians Act to strengthen our elections system or to restore trust in our democracy. They wrote it to expand voter fraud and try to ensure that they’ll never lose again,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Heritage Action for America reported.

An Election Transparency poll shows that Americans actually want more voting safeguards to help prevent fraud, not less. According to the poll, Black (51%) and Hispanic (66%) voters, as well as urban (59%) and Independent (61%) supported increased measures to protect the integrity of voting. 

A Rasmussen Reports survey done in March 2021 supports the Election Transparency poll. The Rasmussen Reports found that 75% of all likely U.S. voters believe that photo ID should be shown in able for a person to vote, while only 21% opposed the idea. This is a 67% increase from the last Rasmussen poll taken in October 2018. 

According to the Sunshine Sentinel, H.R. 1 would have nationalized administration of elections, which oversteps the boundaries of the federal governments constitutional bounds, and would have prevented states from being able to determine voting practices which is allowed to states in accordance to Article 1 Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.