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Georgia has a history of secure elections. But Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp recently signed new legislation that will have a big impact on election integrity in the battleground state.
Georgia has a history of secure elections. But Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp recently signed new legislation that will have a big impact on election integrity in the battleground state.
Among the new regulations, the Georgia attorney general can set up a hotline for voters to file complaints and allegations of voter intimidation or any other illegal activity. Georgia citizens may make these calls anonymously.
This tip line will open a whole new can of worms with regards to the Georgia voting process. And can easily be weaponized by no-good-doers looking to cause a ruckus in the secure election process, sending officials on wild goose chases throughout the state looking for false instances of voter fraud. Or worse, it could make it difficult for voters to prove they are eligible when they may have done nothing wrong.
American election integrity depends on every citizen being able to cast their vote. And this law may undermine that God-given right. This risk makes little sense when Georgia does not have an election integrity problem.
Until recently, both voters and poll watchers had to abide by strict regulations at all stages of the election process in Georgia. Any person convicted of unlawful voting was guilty of a felony punishable by a prison term between one and years, a fine up to $10,000, or both, and any
challenge that was intended to intimidate was a felony under Georgia law punishable by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years and a fine not to exceed $100,000.00, or both. Ga. Code § 21-2-567.
These strict punishments have worked in keeping Georgia elections secure. But new legislation risks undermining that with illegitimate challenges to American citizens’ right to vote.