Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said he would not support election reform measures proposed by Republican state lawmakers, calling the proposals a “reactionary” response to a “three month disinformation campaign.”
We are reviewing bills. Once we see something that prioritizes the security and accessibility of elections, we’ll throw in support. At the end of the day, many of these bills are reactionary to a three month disinformation campaign that could have been prevented. pic.twitter.com/HciII3AsKP
— GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (@GaSecofState) February 24, 2021
Raffensperger’s office is currently reviewing the proposals made by Republicans in the state legislature.
Most are designed to boost confidence in election security, including tighter requirements for absentee ballots.
One bill, passed this week by the state Senate, would require voters to submit a driver’s license number, state identification card number, or a photocopy of an approved form of identification in order to vote absentee. Currently, Georgia only requires signature verifications to count absentee ballots.
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Another reform advanced by a state Senate subcommittee last week would require voters to provide a specific reason for voting absentee. Right now, Georgians do not need to provide a reason to vote absentee.
But Raffensperger said he doesn’t believe they prioritize “the security and accessibility of elections.”
His resistance to the reforms comes even after Raffensperger previously voiced support for tighter restrictions on absentee voting, saying it created an opportunity for rampant voter fraud.
“It makes no sense when we have three weeks of in-person early voting available,” Raffensperger told the House Governmental Affairs Committee late last year.
“It opens the door to potential illegal voting,” he added. “From a logistical challenge, it’s a tremendous burden on our counties.”
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