Georgia State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) has introduced seven bills that he said will reform Georgia’s election system.
Mullis did not return The Georgia Star News’ request for comment Wednesday.
In a press release, Mullis said last November’s general election highlighted problems “that require urgent attention.”
“Our right to vote is one of the most sacred and cherished practices of our democratic republic. When Georgians do not trust that their voices are properly being heard, we owe it to them to address their concerns and find the proper solutions to restore their confidence in the process,” Mullis said in the press release.
“As legislators, we must do all we can to secure the right to vote and ensure that the will of the people is properly reflected in our election results. I hope that these bills will serve as a starting point to begin the conversation on how we can improve elections in our state.”
Mullis has introduced the following bills:
• Senate Bill 68, which Mullis said would clarify where and how officials may deliver absentee ballots. The bill also prohibits people from using ballot drop boxes.
• Senate Bill 69, which would require that people who apply for a driver’s license explicitly indicate their desire to register to vote on their driver’s license application.
• Senate Bill 70, which would prohibit an individual who has voted for a U.S. senator or a U.S. representative in another state from moving to Georgia to vote in a runoff election for a U.S. senate seat or a U.S. representative seat during the same election cycle.
• Senate Bill 71, which would require that voters provide an authorized reason to vote by absentee ballot.
• Senate Bill 72, which would enhance the process of discovering and removing deceased voters from voter registration records.
• Senate Bill 73, which would limit the number of entities authorized to distribute absentee ballot forms.
• Senate Bill 74, which would allow poll watchers to have access to tabulation centers.
State Sen. Tonya Anderson (D-Lithonia), however, is displeased.
Anderson, in a press release of her own, said members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus “will vigorously fight to prevent passage of these anti-voting bills.”
“The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus strongly opposes the anti-voting legislative package introduced recently targeting absentee balloting, ballot drop boxes, voter registration, and poll watching. It is clearly an orchestrated attempt to undermine the political shift our state is undergoing,” Anderson said.
“In 2020, the Georgia electorate boldly declared an end to political orthodoxy embracing a new vision where freedom, justice, equity, and opportunity are commonplace. Through the efforts of county election officials, our state witnessed unprecedented voter turnout during the 2020 general election and 2021 runoff election. This occurred because leaders sought to expand voting options while maintaining a high level of safety and security. The results were overwhelming, but for some, it was a call to engage in a new round of voter suppression and disenfranchisement.”
As The Star News reported last week, Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-Cumming) said he wants legislators to discuss “serious, meaningful election reform” during the current legislative session. He suggested state officials require a photo ID if people vote absentee.
Duncan, during a press conference at the Georgia State Capital in Atlanta, also pitched the idea of a statewide grand jury to monitor possible election fraud.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Georgia Capitol” by DXR. CC BY-SA 4.0.
