Georgia GOP can't wait to disenfranchise voters in the next election

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Chad Rubel

Even while the ink is still in the pen of the current election in Georgia -- a runoff on Dec. 2 for the Senate seat currently held by Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) -- the GOP wants to change the election rules. One change would have applied specifically to the Chambliss race against Jim Martin.

Currently, Georgia law requires 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. This law was passed by the GOP in 2004, though now the Republicans are looking to put it back at 45 percent, where the Democrats had placed it. A 45 percent cutoff would have given Chambliss the Senate seat.

But the most disturbing proposed change is shortening Georgia's early voting period. The current mark is 45 days, and this year, some waited in lines as long as eight hours. State Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican who chairs the House committee charged with drafting electoral policy, said "maybe two weeks would be long enough."

Let's do the quick math: 45 days and some people were waiting in line for 8 hours; cut the time by 2/3rds, and how long will those lines be. And how much disenfranchisement will we have in Georgia? This is one of the many reason why we need uniformity in voting for federal offices.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

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