The State Senate voted this week to protect the integrity of Georgia elections by passing a bill that has been co-sponsored by Sen. Jim Butterworth (R-Cornelia), requiring proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Senate Bill 86 applies only to those registering to vote in Georgia after Dec. 31, 2009.
Registrants can offer a number of forms of identification that serve as proof of citizenship, including a Georgia driver’s license, birth certificate, U.S. passport, or naturalization or tribal documents. Under the bill, proof of voter registration from another state does not constitute an acceptable form of identification.
During the 2008 presidential election, the citizenship of 4,770 registered Georgia voters was called into question. The Secretary of State sent letters to each voter notifying them of the challenge to their registration, requiring them to visit a county elections office before Election Day and produce documents proving their citizenship.
This legislation is part of an ongoing effort by the Georgia General Assembly to secure voting and elections. Last year, legislation was passed to address ongoing problems with absentee voter fraud, streamlining the absentee balloting process. In 2006, Georgia became one of several states that require voters to present a valid photo ID at the polls.
For more information on the bill, visit www.senate.ga.gov and do a legislative search for SB 86.
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