Georgia is planning to change its voting system to focus on using paper ballots and manual counting. These reforms come after an FBI investigation into the 2020 election processes in the state. The changes are intended to improve election integrity and confidence among voters.
1. New Recommendations: A commission has suggested that Georgia use hand-marked paper ballots and require hand counts for early voting. This proposal will be reviewed by the Georgia legislature with the aim to implement it before the midterm elections in 2026.
2. House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee: This group was formed to review electoral procedures and has recommended that its work continue until December to assess further procedures.
3. Specific Changes Proposed:
• Paper ballots will be mandatory for Election Day, while voters can choose between paper and touch-screen voting during early voting.
• Touch-screen machines will produce a paper ballot receipt that will be hand-counted by poll workers.
• A QR code will be included on early voting ballots for quick unofficial results, though official results will be determined only after confirming the hand count.
4. FBI Investigation: The reforms follow an unexpected FBI raid of the Fulton County Election Hub, where documents related to the 2020 election were seized. This raid coincided with President Trump’s repeated calls for federal oversight of elections due to alleged corruption and mismanagement.
5. Concerns Voiced: Governor Brian Kemp noted ongoing issues with the handling of election data in Fulton County, pointing out problems like duplicate counts and erroneous reporting. These issues have drawn scrutiny from federal authorities and raise concerns about the credibility of election results.
6. Trump's Stance: President Trump has criticized how some states manage elections, suggesting that the federal government should take control in areas where elections are poorly run. He targeted cities like Detroit and Philadelphia as examples of failure in election management.
7. Legislative Actions: The White House is urging Congress to pass measures like the SAVE Act, which would require voter ID, remove noncitizens from voter rolls, and impose penalties for irregularities in voter registration.
Georgia's proposed voting reforms aim to strengthen election integrity and address past irregularities, especially in light of federal investigations. The recommendations from the commission are set to be transformed into legislation, seeking to restore public trust in the electoral process leading into the critical midterm elections.
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