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In Georgia, the 2021 Election Integrity Act continues to remain firmly intact despite critics’ attacks on the law, after Democrats have long argued that the statute is allegedly racist.
According to a report from Just the News, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee struck down an attempt at the behest of the U.S. Department of Justice to nix elements of the law to prevent its enforcement, which would have affected rules regarding voter ID requirements and absentee ballot drop boxes.
In August 2023, a federal judge also upheld the Election Integrity Act in Georgia, ruling to keep in place the ban on “line warming” and ballot harvesting.
For reference, “line warming” is the practice of giving away food, drinks, or any other gifts while people wait in line to cast their vote at a polling place.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, state law requires photo identification when voting in the Peach State, whether in person at the ballot box or when casting an absentee ballot. “It’s the way your county ensures it’s you casting your ballot and not someone who isn’t eligible to vote,” the office site explained.
Per Just the News’ latest report from the most recent ruling, the DOJ brought the request to court alongside the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Sixth District of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Democrat opponents of the law have argued that it would prevent Black voters from being able to access the ballot box, although it is unclear exactly why.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger declared of Judge Boulee’s decision to uphold “key provisions” of the Election Integrity Act, “Today, the Court confirmed what we’ve been saying all along. SB 202 strengthens election integrity while increasing the opportunity for Georgia voters to cast a ballot.”
