A Fact Check on The NYT's Fact Check, Which Feeds the Misinformation About Georgia's New Election Law

You get the sense from the subheading on what their approach to the matter will be: "The New York Times analyzed the state's new 98-page voting law and identified 16 key provisions that will limit ballot access, potentially confuse voters and give more power to Republican lawmakers."

The Law: [Voter ID] In order to confirm the identity of the voter, such form shall require the elector to provide his or her name, date of birth, address as registered, address where the elector wishes the ballot to be mailed, and the number of his or her Georgia driver's license or identification card issued If such elector does not have a Georgia driver's license or identification card the elector shall affirm this fact in the manner prescribed in the application and the elector shall provide a copy of a form of identification.

The Times: Little surprise, the paper objects to this provision of mandating a voter ID. "This is virtually certain to limit access to absentee voting. The law also creates pitfalls for voters: If they fail to follow all the new steps, like printing a date of birth or in some cases including partial Social Security numbers, their ballots could be tossed out. Stringent voter-ID laws in other states have depressed voting mostly among people of color."

"Shortening the runoff time will also affect both early voting and military and overseas voters. Additionally, federal election law states that ballots for military and overseas voters must be mailed out 45 days before an election, so those voters will now receive ranked-choice general-election ballots rather than second, separate ballots for the runoff."

Conclusion: Under analysis this new voting law in Georgia does not present anything as dire and obsessive as the claims being made.

For all of the "Jim Crow" accusations and loud claims of vote suppression this new law provides more early voting days, more weekend voting days, and expanded times possible - the only things actually being limited are practices put in place as emergency measures last year.

The New York Times wants to posture as if they are arriving to clarify all of the offensive decisions; what they are doing instead is fueling the disinformation that is flying around about Georgia's new voting law.
 

https://townhall.com/columnists/bradslager/2021/04/05/the-nyt-feeds-the-misinformation-on-georgias-new-election-lawwe-factcheck-their-fact-check-n2587399