Suppression Or Security? Dissecting Georgia’s New Voting Law

Like many stories making the headlines these days, the new election law in Georgia has ignited a firestorm of controversy between conservatives and progressives. While Democrats claim the new law is a reaction to the state backing its first Democratic President in over a quarter of a century, Republicans maintain that it is a much-needed overhaul that ensures future election security and actually expands voter access.

Let’s get beyond the narrative packaging produced by both sides of the media, not to mention our social media feeds, and review the facts concerning Georgia’s election reforms, provisions of which go into effect July 1, 2021.

Detractors of the new law cite numerous concerns, and proponents, of course, have their counterarguments. Below, I’ve highlighted the top issues, followed by the opposing points:

1.    Concern: Restricted hours of voting

Critics note that the bill appears to restrict voting to the hours between 9am and 5pm when many eligible voters are working. As defined by each state’s laws, many companies allow time off to employees for voting; however, most low-wage workers do not get paid time off to vote, nor do the self-employed. Shortened hours unfairly discriminate against them.

Counterpoint: Voting hours are clarified, not changed

Under both the old and new laws, counties are allowed to set their own hours between 7am and 7pm. However, under the old law, the minimum hours that voting must remain open was noted as “during normal business hours.” The new law makes clear that the minimum hours voting centers are to remain open are between 9am and 5pm.

2.    Concern: Dramatic reduction of drop boxes

In 2020, drop boxes were used as an alternative to mail-in voting for those who wanted to return their ballots early. The new law dramatically reduces the number of available ballot boxes. In Fulton County alone, where Atlanta is situated, the number of voting boxes will be reduced from 38 to 8. To make matters worse, all voting boxes will now be indoors and available only during early voting hours. In states like Washington, where voting boxes have been in use since at least 2012, the boxes are located outdoors in public places, and are accessible 24 hours a day.

Counterpoint: Voting boxes were installed as an emergency response to the pandemic

Prior to 2020, Georgia did not make use of voting boxes, and they were implemented through emergency rule, not legislative action. Moreover, the new law mandates that each county must have at least one dropbox available and may add additional boxes at a rate of one per 100,000 voters, or one per advance voting location, whichever is smaller. If legislators or voters want to increase this number, they can, but emergency rules should only stand during emergencies. By continuing the use of voting boxes, voter access is enhanced not restricted. Other states have their own election laws, some of which include boxes some of which don’t. That is the nature of the federal system.

3.    Concern: Limits early voting

In addition to the closure of ballot boxes, an early version of the bill eliminated Sunday voting. This was particularly disturbing to Sunday churchgoers, as many churches encourage members to vote after Sunday services, using campaigns like, “Souls to the polls.”

Counterpoint: Voting is open two Saturdays and Sundays are optional, 12 Days Before November 4th. The early version of the bill that banned Sunday voting was withdrawn and revised to include two weekends of voting as well.

4.    Concern: Banning distribution of refreshments

On hot days when voting lines are long, volunteers would traditionally hand out cold water to people waiting in line. The new law allows poll workers to hand out water but prevents non-poll workers from distributing food and beverages within 150 feet of a polling place and 25 feet from people in line. Why is this a big deal? Because wait times are longer in minority communities, and minority communities typically vote Democrat in Georgia, a historically Red state. In fact, wait times actually increase as the percentage of Black and Hispanic voters in a community increases. As a result, left-leaning watchdogs are concerned that this is not only a partisan tactic, but also racist. The penalty for illegally distributing food and water under the new law is up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Counterpoint: Distributing refreshments is restricted to prevent undue influence

Republicans note that poll workers can still hand out water, but they are concerned that if anyone else distributes refreshments, those distributing may wield undue influence on people as they enter the polls. Campaigning isn’t legal in voting areas, and never has been. This is a non-partisan policy. No activist groups utilizing volunteers, whether Right or Left, NRA or Pro-Choice advocates, etc., are allowed to influence voters. Those who anticipate long lines are free to bring whatever refreshments they choose.

5.    Concern: Mail-In voting restrictions

Before the new law, mail-in ballots could be requested 49 days in advance, but now ballots can only be requested 29 days before the election. Moreover, signature matching will no longer be used to validate votes. Instead, voters will be required to show a valid form of identification. This is discriminatory because minorities (who tend to vote Democrat) are said to be less likely to have the appropriate forms of identification. For example, in North Dakota, Native Americans are 6% less likely to have a valid ID compared to White North Dakotans. And in Texas, where gun permits are considered valid IDs but student IDs are not, more than 80% of gun permits went to White Americans, while over 50% of student IDs are issued to non-Whites. The discrepancies highlight how restrictive voter laws can be intentionally discriminatory for partisan gain. Plus all of the above ignores multiple studies that show voter fraud is believed to be extremely rare. 

Counterpoint: IDs should be mandatory to ensure voter integrity

IDs are easy for any citizen to obtain, and it is only logical to ask that when a person comes to vote, they prove their identity with valid identification. People must show picture IDs to buy alcohol or tobacco, to register a car, or purchase a house. Shouldn’t voting be held to the same high standard? This too is non-partisan. As stated by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger: "A year ago we were being sued by the Democrats," Raffensperger said in an interview. "They did not like signature match, they said it was unconstitutional and now the Republicans are saying the same thing. Well, you guys are both singing off the same song sheet now, so maybe now we need a verifiable photo ID component with the absentee ballot process."

In politics, the real issues are often buried behind the partisanship spin that politicians and media put on them. Each side utilizes outrage to motivate their base and get them to the polls.

Voting is our right as US citizens, a tremendous privilege. I tend to believe rights come attached to responsibilities. From that perspective, it’s our responsibility to take a bit of time, practice our due diligence to parse through the noise, and get the facts. Being an objectively informed voter tempers our predisposed biases, our partisan tendencies, and maybe unifies us as a nation, even if just a little bit.

Having said that, in this space your thoughts and opinions absolutely welcome!