In a significant move, Republican state lawmakers in Georgia have passed a series of election rules that could impact the 2024 presidential contest. As the 2024 session concluded last week, these changes aim to alter how votes are counted on ballots, enhance ballot security measures, and address voter eligibility challenges that have arisen since the 2020 presidential election.
Expanding Ballot Access
The newly approved Senate Bill 189 introduces a crucial change: granting access to Georgia’s ballot for any political party that has qualified for the presidential ballot in at least 20 states or territories. This provision could potentially benefit independent candidates, including figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose campaign has raised concerns among Democrats about potential vote diversion from President Joe Biden.
Defining “Probable Cause”
The bill also clarifies what constitutes “probable cause” for upholding challenges to voter eligibility. Under the new rules, probable cause exists if an individual is:
Deceased
Voted or registered to vote in a different jurisdiction
Registered for a homestead exemption on property taxes in a different jurisdiction
Registered at a nonresidential address
Senate Ethics Committee Chairman Max Burns, a Sylvania Republican, succinctly summarized the definition of probable cause.
Impact on the 2024 Race
The changes come in the wake of false claims by former President Donald Trump and other Republicans that he lost Georgia’s 16 electoral votes in 2020 due to fraud. With the 2024 presidential race looming, these revisions could significantly shape the electoral landscape in this battleground state.
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