Poll Worker Bill Hijacked by House Governmental Affairs Committee, Inserted Ban on Sending Voters Absentee Ballot Applications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2020Media contact: Ana Maria Rosato [email protected]
ATLANTA – The ACLU of Georgia has been working with the Secretary of State’s (SOS) office to address the severe poll worker shortage that plagued the recent election. Specifically, we worked together to draft a bill that expands poll worker eligibility so that Georgians can serve where poll workers are needed. Presently, the law restricts poll workers to work in their county of residence only. Additionally, we were ready to help the SOS recruit poll workers across the state to address the shortage, especially in the middle of a global pandemic. However, the committee inserted an anti-voter poison pill in the bill.
“Rather than protect the health of our citizens and our democracy, the Georgia House Governmental Affairs Committee hijacked this important bill. The committee inserted a ban on counties and the state preventing them from sending out absentee ballot applications like they did during the primary, which was tremendously popular with Georgia voters as well as the most responsible thing to do,” said Christopher Bruce, political director of the ACLU of Georgia. “We call on the Georgia House to immediately remove this anti-voter provision and instead pass a clean bill so we can get to work recruiting poll workers across our state.”
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