A Republican member of Georgia’s state Senate has introduced a bill that would require people to make copies of their photo ID and mail it to election officials twice before being permitted to cast an absentee ballot.
Newly elected Sen. Jason Anavitarte’s legislation would also implement a photo ID requirement for voters sending in absentee ballots from outside the state.
Acceptable forms of ID would include a photocopy of the voter’s driver’s license, voter ID card, U.S. passport, government employee ID, military ID card or tribal identification card.
The bill comes after some Georgia Republicans raised concerns over alleged voter fraud due to a large increase in mail voting, spurred on by the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the Democrats victory in November’s presidential election.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, all Republicans, have backed implementing stricter voter ID laws. However, Democrats have said that tougher voter ID measures mostly inhibit voters of color and low-income voters from casting ballots, one reason being they somehow can’t find or access a printer.
“By requiring access to a printer, which many Georgians obviously do not have, Republicans are attempting to purposely take away the ability of many Georgians to vote by mail simply because they believe too many Democrats and too many people of color voted by mail,” Fair Fight spokesperson Seth Bringman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which first reported the bill’s introduction.