The National Populist

THE GEORGIA ELECTION LAW - SECURING OUR DEMOCRACY

On March 25th, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed new voting regulations into law in order to secure the voting process and ensure fair elections. This comes after the very contested 2020 election where widespread mail-in voting raised new questions about election integrity and Democrats won both the Presidency and two Georgia Senate seats. Proponents of the law believe that new forms of ID are necessary to avoid fraud and ineligible voting, while opponents claim that minority voters will be hurt by the law and that it is a return to historic voter suppression.

Specifically, the law adds new identification requirements such as photo ID for absentee voting. Mail-in voting also be limited by only sending ballots to those who specifically request it as opposed to sending them to all registered voters, causing some problems in 2020 with people getting excess ballots for people who have changed residences and even ballots to deceased voters. This will prevent ineligible voters and illegal immigrants from voting. The law also seeks to stop the distribution of gifts and incentives such as food and water within 150 feet of a polling place or within 25 feet of anyone in line to vote. This does not, of course, prevent people from bringing their own refreshments and the fact that it is so contested shows how diminished the importance of voting really has become. While the number of ballot boxes may be limited by the law, it also ensures that each county will have at least one. Governor Kemp stated that the law “expands access” to voting, and even the leftist Washington Post concedes that it will probably result in an increase in voting especially in rural areas. The State Legislature will also be given more power, now being able to appoint members of the State Board of Elections and to take over Country Boards of Elections in certain circumstances. The Secretary of State will be removed from their position as Chair of the State Board of Elections. Overall, the measures do not systemically or greatly diminish voting access, and instead simply ensure the eligibility of voters and fight corruption.

The law has received widespread criticism from those on the left such as Stacey Abrams who claim that it will severely restrict the ability of Black people in Georgia to vote. This idea is predicated on the racist idea that minorities can’t get IDs, which are required for many things such as purchasing alcohol, buying guns, or even watching an R rated movie in theaters. President Joe Biden went as far as to call it “Jim Crow in the 21st century,” diminishing the horrific reality of racism and actual voter suppression in the past, and many are calling for Georgia as a whole to be boycotted. Major League Baseball has even pulled its All-Star game out of Atlanta because of the law. The CEOs of Delta and American Airlines as well as Coca-Cola have criticized the bill, with James Quincy, CEO of Coca-Cola, saying that he wants to be “crystal clear and state unambiguously that we are disappointed” about the law. This widespread reaction among left-wing politicians and corporations is perfectly representative of the wide range of control the left holds over our society. Some conservatives such as Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah seek actual legal action such as removing the antitrust exemption of MLB. This reaction represents the populist shift towards combating private enterprise at times when their actions undermine our republic.

It is clear that the elite politicians of our nation view this law and voter ID as voter suppression, but what do the actual voters think? On the question of absentee voting, 53 percent to 28 percent of Americans support requiring a photo ID. In Georgia specifically, 74 percent of registered voters support it. A 2018 PEW poll found that 76 percent of Americans supported requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote, while only 23 percent opposed it. 69 percent of black voters support voter ID laws, only a few percentage points below the average. Those who fight against basic voter ID laws and measures to secure elections are those who wish to steal elections and manipulate results, not the people.

The 2020 election showed us the dangers of mass mail-in voting, where much of the country was skeptical and unconvinced by the results. Ballot harvesting and other reports of foul play give some credit to concerns, and the lack of faith in our democratic systems are not trivial and must be investigated and addressed. The hypocrisy of the left, who pushed for massive changes in election laws including violations of state constitutions in states like Pennsylvania, now fighting against basic voter ID laws to secure our elections is glaring. When the vast majority of the American people, including minorities the laws purportedly hurt, support voter ID, it is clear that the manufactured outrage against the idea by elite politicians and corporations is a political tool to sway future elections in their favor. It is clear, more now than ever, that massive businesses can not be allowed to hurt the American people and devalue real votes without consequence.