Six Georgia House Republicans filed legislation that would provide for a probate court judge to cease acting as a superintendent of elections and then create a board of elections to assume that judge’s prior responsibilities.
This, according to a bill that State Rep. Mitchell Scroggins (R-Cartersville) filed this week.
According to the language of the bill, a probate court judge who serves as a superintendent and no longer desires to do so would transfer his or her duties to either a county board of elections or a county board of elections and registration. The board would have five members.
“Two members of the board shall be nominated by the political party whose candidate for the office of governor at the last election for such office received the highest number of votes cast for such office within the county,” according to the bill.
“Two members of the board shall be nominated by the political party whose candidate for the office of governor at the last election for such office received the second highest number of votes cast for such office within the county.”
A senior judge in time of service of the superior court of the county would appoint the fifth member, Scroggins’ bill said.
The initial members and their successors would have four-year terms. Each member of the board could serve successive terms. No person who holds elective public office could serve on the board while holding office, according to the bill.
Scroggins’ proposal is one of many election-related bills that state legislators filed this year.
AsThe Georgia Star News reported last month, Georgia State Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-Woodstock) introduced Voter ID legislation that she said would prohibit people from using certain types of identification for in-person voting.
That bill, HB 228, would, if enacted into law, require Georgia residents who are not U.S. citizens to have “BEARER NOT A U.S. CITIZEN — NOT VOTER ID” printed on their licenses, permits and/or identification cards. People with this information on their forms of identification could not present them to a poll worker to vote, according to Byrd’s legislation.
As reported last month, seven members of the Georgia General Assembly have filed a bill that would call on members of the State Election Board to appoint a chief elections assistance officer. According to the language of the bill, this person would work for the secretary of state to help manage and oversee elections.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ballot Machine” by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. CC BY-SA 2.0.
