Current:Home > FinanceWith 2024 presidential contest looming, Georgia governor signs new election changes into law -Nova Finance Academy
With 2024 presidential contest looming, Georgia governor signs new election changes into law
View
Date:2025-04-18 08:31:41
ATLANTA (AP) — Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation Tuesday that makes additional changes to Georgia’s election laws ahead of the 2024 presidential contest in the battleground state, including defining probable causes for removing voters from the rolls when their eligibility is challenged.
Republican activists — fueled by debunked theories of a stolen election — have challenged more than 100,000 voters in the state in recent years. The activists say they are rooting out duplicate records and removing voters who have moved out of state.
The bill Kemp signed into law — SB 189 — lists death, evidence of voting or registering in another jurisdiction, a tax exemption indicating a primary residence elsewhere, or a nonresidential address as probable causes for removing voters from the rolls. Most controversially, it says the National Change of Address list can be considered, though not exclusively.
Opponents have said the changes would enable more baseless attacks on voters that would overwhelm election administrators and disenfranchise legitimate voters. For example, people sometimes live at a place of business, which would be considered a nonresidential address. Officials with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office say there are more reliable types of information, such as driver’s license data, to confirm a voter’s eligibility.
The Georgia bill also allows challenges to be accepted and voters removed from the rolls up until 45 days before an election. That provision in part has prompted the threat of lawsuits from liberal groups because federal law says states and counties can’t make systematic changes to voting rolls within 90 days of a federal election.
The measure also says homeless people must use the county voter registration office as their address instead of where they live. Opponents have said that could make it harder for homeless citizens to cast ballots because their registered polling place might be far away.
Additionally, the bill grants access to Georgia’s ballot to any political party that has qualified for the presidential ballot in at least 20 states or territories. The change could bolster independent candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose campaign has spooked Democrats worried it could draw support away from President Joe Biden.
veryGood! (324)
Related
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Gunbattle at hospital in Mexico kills 4, including doctor caught in the crossfire: Collateral damage
- Jews spitting on the ground beside Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land sparks outrage
- Google wants to make your email inbox less spammy. Here's how.
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- Indian police arrest editor, administrator of independent news site after conducting raids
- Why SZA Says Past Fling With Drake Wasn't Hot and Heavy
- Donald Trump drops from the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. Here's what changed.
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Florida man executed by lethal injection for killing 2 women he met in bars a day apart
Ranking
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- 'A real tight-knit group:' Military unit mourns after 2 soldiers killed in Alaska vehicle crash
- FDA authorizes Novavax's updated COVID vaccine for fall 2023
- Patrick Stewart's potential Picard wig flew British Airways solo for 'Star Trek' audition: Memoir
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- ‘Tennessee Three’ Democrat sues over expulsion and House rules that temporarily silenced him
- Study finds more people are moving into high flood zones, increasing risk of water disasters
- A bus crash in a Venice suburb kills at least 21 people
Recommendation
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Liberty University failed to disclose crime data and warn of threats for years, report says
San Francisco will say goodbye to Dianne Feinstein as her body lies in state at City Hall
Youngkin administration says unknown number of eligible voters were wrongly removed from rolls
Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
Turns out lots and lots of animals embrace same-sex relationships. Why will surprise you
Scott Disick Praises Real Life Princess Kylie Jenner's Paris Fashion Week Look
Stock market today: Asian shares are sharply lower, tracking a rates-driven tumble on Wall Street