Sixty-three Kennesaw State students were among the 1,300 voter registration challenges that were denied by the Cobb Board of Elections on Oct. 11, according to an email sent to the Sentinel by Alexis King, Press Assistant for Stacey Abram’s campaign.
Cobb County’s challenged registrations were submitted by Eugene Williams and Karyl Asta, residents of Cobb that are concerned with voters who registered with incomplete addresses, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. Both are just two residents among many others that have taken to their newfound ability to challenge an unlimited number of voters provided by the Election Integrity Act of 2021, or S.B. 202.
Williams attested during the hearing that he had sent letters to two of the addresses provided among the extensive list of registrations he was challenging. Both came back as undeliverable. Williams said that this “kind of begs the question — do they even exist?”
Following the passing of S.B. 202 by 24 republican senators, the voter registration status of thousands of citizens through the state has been challenged, especially those who did not include an apartment number in their registration, according to Axios Atlanta. These students’ voter registration status was brought into question due to the failure to include their dorm numbers.
Cobb County isn’t the only county facing a surge of challenges to registration, either. Forsyth county dismissed over 12,000 challenges preceding the May primary elections. The Gwinett County Board of Elections dismissed 22,000 challenges earlier this October. According to the New Georgia Project report to CNN, a voting advocacy group, 64,000 state-wide challenges have resulted in at least 1,800 removals of voters’ ballots.
S.B. 202 received nationwide criticisms following its proposal and passing. The 92-page bill was a response to claims of fraudulent votes in the 2020 presidential election. However, according to the NGP, this election law is concealed voter suppression that targets people of color.
During a press conference in Savannah in June 2021, Gov. Kemp denied these claims and referred to the counter lawsuits as “politically motivated assault.” He continued to voice his support of the bill and how its passing “expands access to early voting, ensures that drop boxes are available in every county and (are) secured around the clock,” according to Savannah Now.
The bill, largely opposed by democrats, was also brought to the attention of the Department of Justice. A lawsuit against the state of Georgia was filed in response to the bill’s racial discrimination against voters on June 25 of 2021. GPB reported that as of June 2021, a total of eight lawsuits were filed against the bill
“This lawsuit is the first step of many we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote; that all lawful votes are counted; and that every voter has access to accurate information,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
The bill made major changes to regulations of absentee voting. Now, voters may request an absentee ballot only 11 weeks before an election. In previous years, ballots could be requested 180 days in advance. The final deadline for application completion was also shifted to two Fridays before the election rather than the Friday before.
The chair of the State Election Board is now an individual chosen by the majority of the State House and Senate. The position was previously filled by the Georgia Secretary of State.
There have also been changes to when counties mail out absentee ballots, third-party involvement and what ID is necessary to provide when requesting or returning a ballot. Secure absentee drop-doxes are also a new addition to state law.
For more details, readers can visit the website of Georgia Public Broadcasting for an in-depth translation of the bill into comprehensible language.
Those who have registered to vote may check their registration status online at the My Voter Portal website, provided by the Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger.
Raphael Warnock(D), Herschel Walker (R) and Chase Oliver(L) are running for U.S. Senate. Candidates for state governor include Stacey Abrams (D), Brian Kemp(R) and Shane Hazel (L). Early voting will begin on Oct. 17, while the last day to submit an absentee ballot application is Oct. 28. For a comprehensive list of important dates for the 2022 Midterm elections, visit the official website of the State of Georgia.
