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Election Integrity Act of 2021

Election Integrity Act of 2021
Georgia State Legislature
Full nameElection Integrity Act of 2021
IntroducedFebruary 17, 2021
House votedMarch 25, 2021
Senate votedMarch 8, 2021
Signed into lawMarch 25, 2021
Sponsor(s)Sens. Max Burns, Butch Miller, Michael Dugan, Frank Ginn, Lee Anderson, Randy Robertson, Jeff Mullis, John Albers, Larry Walker, Matt Brass, Jason Anavitarte, Marty Harbin, Billy Hickman, Dean Burke, Sheila McNeill, Brandon Beach, Bruce Thompson, Tyler Harper, Carden Summers, Chuck Payne, Chuck Hufstetler, Blake Tillery, John Kennedy; Rep. Barry Fleming
GovernorBrian Kemp
CodeElections
ResolutionSB 202
Websitelegis.ga.gov
Status: Current legislation

The Election Integrity Act of 2021, originally known as the Georgia Senate Bill 202,[1][2] is a law in the U.S. state of Georgia overhauling elections in the state. It replaced signature matching requirements on absentee ballots with voter identification requirements, limits the use of ballot drop boxes, expands in-person early voting, bars officials from sending out unsolicited absentee ballot request forms, reduces the amount of time people have to request an absentee ballot, increases voting stations or staff and equipment where there have been long lines, makes it a crime for outside groups to give free food or water to voters waiting in line, gives the Georgia General Assembly greater control over election administration, and shortens runoff elections, among other provisions.[3][4][5][6]

The bill has generated significant controversy, described by critics as unprecedented and widespread Republican-led anti-democratic voting restrictions,[7] with President Joe Biden labeling the bill "Jim Crow in the 21st century".[8] Georgia governor Brian Kemp called criticism of the bill "disingenuous and completely false", and has argued that it differs little from voting laws in most other states.[9][10] In June 2021, the Department of Justice sued Georgia over the law, which it alleges is racially discriminatory.[11] In October 2023, a federal judge upheld multiple provisions of the law, citing a lack of evidence that the law is racially discriminatory.[12]

Early voting turnout surged in the 2022 election cycle that followed the law's passage, with debate over the impact of the law on early voting.[7][13] After the 2022 election cycle, polling from the University of Georgia found that 99% of Georgia voters did not have issues voting.[14]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference GA-SB-202 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Senate Bill 202". Georgia General Assembly. April 17, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Corasaniti, Nick (March 25, 2021). "Georgia G.O.P. Passes Major Law to Limit Voting Amid Nationwide Push". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  4. ^ Corasaniti, Nick; Epstein, Reid J. (April 2, 2021). "What Georgia's Voting Law Really Does". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021.
  5. ^ Nadler, Ben; Amy, Jeff (March 25, 2021). "Georgia Gov. Kemp signs GOP election bill amid an outcry". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021.
  6. ^ Panetta, Grace (March 26, 2021). "Georgia's new controversial voting law bans volunteers from delivering free water and snacks to voters in line". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Samuels, Alex (June 6, 2022). "Why Georgia's Turnout Numbers Don't Tell Us Enough About The Effect Of Restrictive Voting Laws". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  8. ^ Nelson, Steven (March 26, 2021). "Biden calls Georgia election law 'Jim Crow in the 21st century'". New York Post. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  9. ^ "Georgia Governor Brian Kemp "refuses to back down" on election law, amid criticism". Newsweek. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  10. ^ Stevenson, Peter (April 5, 2021). "Expand access? A historic restriction? What the Georgia voting law really does". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 1, 2021. Kemp and other defenders of the law say what's on the books now is in line with voting laws, even in blue states.
  11. ^ McWhirter, Aruna Viswanatha and Cameron (June 25, 2021). "Georgia's New Voting Law Aims to Restrict Black Vote, Justice Department Says". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference racecaseresult was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Brown, Matthew; Gardner, Amy (May 21, 2022). "Voting is surging in Georgia despite controversial new election law". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference axiospoll was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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