Georgia Republicans passed a bill implementing new election regulations before November

Georgia lawmakers approved legislation Thursday that would give clearer guidelines for voter eligibility challenges, strengthen the security of paper ballots, and introduce new rules for qualifying for the state’s presidential ballot.

Senate Bill 189 is a result of an influx of voter challenges in the state following former President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, which he claimed was the result of voter fraud. Republican lawmakers in swing states have been attempting to tighten voting restrictions going into the 2024 elections.

The bill clarifies “probable cause” in the event a voter wants to challenge their eligibility. “Probable cause” could be constituted if a voter has been registered in another jurisdiction, obtaining a homestead exemption in a different country, or giving a non-residential address such as a post office box, the Georgia Recorder reported.

Any political party that has qualified to be on the presidential ballot in 20 states will have access to Georgia’s ballot, according to the new legislation. This would make it easier for independent presidential candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is required to garner enough signatures on petitions in all 50 states in order to get his name on the ballot. Kennedy’s super PAC claimed he has qualified to be on Georgia’s ballot.

Some Democratic lawmakers were not fond of the “probable cause” provision in the bill, writing it off as another attempt to disenfranchise voters.

“You know the policy of not negotiating with terrorists,” Democratic state Rep. Saira Draper said, per the Associated Press. “I wish we had a policy of not making laws to placate conspiracy theorists.”

Meanwhile, Republicans defended the bill. John LaHood, a Republican and chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, claimed the legislation would improve voter’s confidence in the state’s elections, the AP reported.

“What this bill does is ensure that your legal vote does matter,” LaHood said.

Within one hour after polls close, counties in the state would be required to report the results of absentee ballots, and in any election with fewer than 5,000 registered voters, paper ballots must be used, according to the bill.

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That provision would not take effect until 2025, the outlet reported. Another part of the legislation would prohibit the use of QR codes to count ballots, which is how some ballots are counted now, but that would not take effect until July 1, 2026.

The bill, which the House and Senate both approved, is headed to Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R-GA) desk for his signature.