Groups critical of Georgia voting practices

A new report says Georgia is among 3 swing states that stand-out for having the most concerns with voting issues ahead of November’s general election.

The study put-out by the non-partisan groups "Common Cause" and the "Century Foundation’"says Georgia’s voter identification laws disenfranchise certain groups.

It also questions whether enough safeguards are in place against deceptive voting practices and whether third-party registration drives are unfairly regulated in some counties.

The state got good marks for poll worker training, and also for its statewide voter database. But Bill Bozarth with Common Cause Georgia says standards around the database are problematic.

"The degree to which that can be used to validate whether people are really eligible to vote is something that lacks any sort of statewide standard," Bozarth says.

But Secretary of state Karen Handel says the report’s concerns are unfounded.
She says the problems were all policy related and noted the Common Cause was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit questioning Georgia's photo ID law.

Handel says Georgia’s counties are ready to handle what is expected to be historically high voter turnout. She urges people to vote early with a goal of having 25 percent of all votes cast before election day.

Atlanta Falcons have a voting message

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel has enlisted the Atlanta Falcons to remind voters about the photo ID requirement in the November election. Five Falcons players have recorded public service announcements reminding Georgians that they must bring government-issued photo IDs to cast a ballot in person. November's election is expected to draw a huge turnout and pose the greatest test yet for the state's photo ID law.

Ga. Dems challenge voter ID law

Georgia’s Democratic Party on Friday filed suit against a 2006 state law upholding the constitutionality of photo voter ID's.

The move comes despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling approving photo ID's at Indiana voting stations.

State Republicans and Democrats are sharply divided on the issue: Democrats charge that requiring photo ID to cast a ballot disenfranchises the poor and minorities. Republicans, however, contend that such ID's are a useful tool for fighting voter fraud.

Party spokesman Martin Matheny says the Indiana case is different enough and it allows parties to sue over the issue:

"What makes it happen is the decision in the Indiana case. 'Let's us get up there and have a serious legal discussion.''

Matheny says the State constitution says nothing about photo ID’s for voting.

However, according to Matt Caruthers, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Karen Handel:

"This is an absurd and frivolous lawsuit. The issue has been decided at the Supreme Court district court and Georgia Supreme Court. And defending it will amount in a huge waste of Georgia taxpayer money. "

The suit, filed at the Fulton county superior court asks for an injunction of the law for the July 15 primary.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this issue.

Election day in Georgia

Voters head to the polls today across the state to decide a myriad of races for mayors and city council members, along with a number of referendum questions. Mayors are being decided in cities such as Macon, Savannah, Commerce and Winder. Ballot questions include in Columbus, where residents will decide whether its government will get redevelopment powers with tax allocation districts. Voters must bring a photo ID to the polls, which are open until 7pm.