Lawmakers in Georgia have recently implemented changes that will make it simpler for individuals to challenge the registration of voters.

– Georgia legislators changed state election laws to widen criteria for challenging voter registration, remove barcodes from printed ballots, and increase documentation needed for election certification
– Changes are set to take effect on July 1, pending approval from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp
– Voting rights groups are concerned about the potential expansion of challenges to voter registrations under Senate Bill 189
– Legislation defines new conditions for probable cause in challenging voter registration, including registration in another state or jurisdiction, using a different address for tax exemption, or registering at a non-residential address
– The bill also prohibits the use of PO boxes as voting registration addresses and requires homeless individuals to register at the county registrar’s office
– Republican candidate Herschel Walker faced residency questions in the 2022 Senate election
– Legislation passed largely along party lines despite objections from Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
– Changes include using printed text on ballots for vote counting instead of barcode scanning, tabulating votes within one hour of polls closing, and requiring signed tracking documents for ballot custody
– Some believe the chain of custody provision is a pretext to reject future elections based on technical defects
– Other changes involve the removal of the secretary of state from the state elections board and requiring high-resolution copies of ballots.



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