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Georgia Dems to Introduce Voter Registration Bills

January 23rd, 2014

President Obama’s Commission on Election Administration suggested several changes to U.S. voting procedures this week. The recommendations included updating technology and making registration easier. The Georgia Democratic Caucus plans to introduce two bills Thursday aimed at addressing those issues.

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One bill calls for one-time voter registration. Georgia Democratic House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams says that means your registration would follow you.

“Once you register to vote in the state of Georgia, you shouldn’t have to re-register if you move across the county line or move to a new city,” Abrams says. “It would be permanent, portable voter registration.”

Abrams says the bill would especially benefit military families.

The second bill would legalize online voter registration. Abrams says the move would increase access and could help the state save money.

“We have some of the most technically-savvy laws when it comes to voter ID,” she says. “We require ID; we require proof of citizenship. There should be no reason that we can’t use the same technology to allow voters to access online registration and actually sign up to vote without going into a county clerk’s office.”

Abrams hopes the bills will have bi-partisan support. She says she’s spoken with the offices of Republicans Gov. Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston about both bills.