Peach Tree Times

The Georgia Legislative Session concluded with the passage of two controversial election bills. HB 1207 and HB 189 are now awaiting approval from the Governor. Critics argue these measures could complicate voting processes in the state.

HB 1207 allows election superintendents to reduce the number of voting machines below the current minimum requirement of 250 per elector in each county. It also prohibits noncitizens from working at polling stations and increases access for poll watchers.

HB 189, an omnibus elections bill, was merged with HB 976 and passed quickly through the legislature. This bill mandates that unhoused voters use county registrars’ offices as their mailing address, potentially complicating mail receipt for these individuals. It also expands criteria for voter challenges, permits all-paper ballots in some elections, shortens absentee ballot counting timelines, and introduces new chain of custody procedures.

Anne-Gray Herring, a policy analyst at Common Cause Georgia, expressed concerns: “These election bills do nothing to help Georgia voters. Instead, they add unnecessary burdens on an already safe and secure voting process. These bills will make it harder, not easier to vote in Georgia."

Herring criticized the legislature for ignoring input from election directors statewide: “The legislature ignored the input of election directors from across the state about these provisions and how it would impact their ability to conduct elections, continuing their pattern of imposing unfunded mandates in the name of solving problems that do not exist."

She urged action against these legislative measures: “We oppose these bills and the burdensome impact they will have on voters and election workers. We urge the Governor to veto these bad election bills that will only cause more harm to Georgia voters.”