NAACP looks ahead to July/November elections

Voter turnout has been high nationwide at this year's Presidential primaries. Voting has also been under the spotlight lately because several states have passed laws requiring photo identification. Georgia is included in that list and you do have to present a government-issued ID at the polls here. But it's been controversial.

Opponents say requiring photo ID at the polls makes voting a burden for some elderly and minorities who may not have an ID. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed and upheld Indiana's right to require photo ID at the polls. But the controversy is not over in Georgia. In advance of July’s statewide elections, the Georgia NAACP has begun working to ensure all eligible Georgians get to vote.

The group is hoping to avoid a repeat of Super Tuesday 2008, in November. The group's President Edward DuBose says nearly a thousand voters were purged in February from local rolls based upon inaccurate data.

"Our concern now as we move into a historic presidential election, is that these rulings coincide so closely with an election that is history making."

Adopting a strategy that has its origins in the civil rights movement of yesteryear, the group plans a massive grass roots undertaking, to ensure that everyone who is eligible has the proper identification.

"We've got to engage our coalition partners like ministers, and fraternity and sorority organizations, to get out in some cases, knocking on doors. Our question anf our concern at the same time is, will Georgia be ready?"

The group says it has planned local and regional information session, right up to July's statement elections and on into the November presidential showdown.

And, if necessary, the NAACP says following both elections, it will call for public hearings in case of election rights violations.

Final Presidential Preference Primary Results

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today certified the elections results for the February 5 Presidential Preference Primary. They are as follows:

Democratic Presidential Preference Primary (100% of precincts reporting):

	Votes	Percentage
Joe Biden	2,536	0.23%
Hillary Clinton	329,964	31.1%
Chris Dodd	904	0.08%
John Edwards	18,199	1.71%
Mike Gravel	952	0.08%
Dennis J. Kucinich	2,096	0.19%
Barack Obama	704,237	66.38%
Bill Richardson	1,879	0.17%
Total Votes	1,060,767

Republican Presidential Preference Primary (100% of precincts reporting):

	Votes	Percentage
Rudy Giuliani	7,157	0.74%
Mike Huckabee	326,845	33.92%
Duncan Hunter	755	0.07%
Alan Keyes	1,458	0.15%
John McCain	304,724	31.62%
Ron Paul	28,092	2.91%
Mitt Romney	290,681	30.17%
Tom Tancredo	324	0.03%
Fred Thompson	3,411	0.35%
Total Votes	963,447

2,024,214 voters cast ballots in the Georgia Presidential Preference Primary, bringing voter turn out to 45 percent, according to a statement released by Handel's office.

The results were forwarded to Governor Sonny Perdue. The Georgia Republican Party and the Democratic Party of Georgia will allocate delegates to their respective nominating conventions, based on these figures.

Click here, and here for more GPB News coverage of the 2008 presidential race.

Columbus: GA GOP unites behind McCain

Sen. Chambliss addresses a sparse crowd of convention delegates at the Columbus Civic Center, on Friday, May 16th, 2008. Many more arrived for Saturday's session. (Dave Bender)

Georgia Republicans united behind likely GOP presidential nominee John McCain on Saturday and fired up their faithful members at the party's annual convention Saturday.

Delegates were selected to represent the state at the national GOP convention in September, and a steady stream of elected officials who took the podium said the party needs to come home to its bedrock conservative issues from taxes and immigration to military might and gun rights.

"We've got some work to do. We've got some proving to do,'' said U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Sharpsburg. "The base didn't get lost. We got lost.''

Governor Sonny Perdue urged Republicans to avoid poll-driven "gimmicks'' and suggested there was a damaging disconnect between party leaders in Washington and conservative states like Georgia.

Recent contests in the Bible Belt that have elected Democrats "ought to be a warning around the South and around the United States,'' Perdue said. But, he later told reporters, "I feel very good about Georgia.''

Democrats made gains in 2006 by winning control of the U.S. House and Senate, but Georgia bucked the trend by electing Republicans to a couple of statewide posts that had been held by Democrats.

However, Republicans said they were not taking anything for granted, especially after Democrats cast more ballots in this year's Feb. 5 presidential primary than the GOP.

The main order of business Saturday was to select delegates who will attend the national GOP convention. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won Georgia's presidential primary with strong support from religious conservatives and independents. But on Saturday, John McCain stickers were everywhere and nearly every speech plugged the Arizona senator.

The slate of 30 delegates and 30 alternates selected included prominent supporters of Huckabee, as well as other former GOP contenders including former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; Fred Thompson, the one-time senator from Tennessee; and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Among the delegates were supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. A vocal group of Paul supporters were also in the stands, according to the Associated Press.

Bickering on the floor turned caustic at times. One delegate demanded a resolution condemning abortion as "prenatal murder.'' Another participant had his microphone turned off when he criticized the war in Iraq.

"I've never seen debate stifled that much,'' said state committee member Brian Laurens, of Ellijay, who said he's been involved in state conventions since 2002.

Turnout by delegates on Friday afternoon's 2 p.m. opening session was light; many arrived later in the evening, and on Saturday. (Dave Bender)

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Friday said he'd warned President Bush that vetoing the farm bill could hurt presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in reliably Republican states this fall.

"If they get turned off by Republicans it's going to make it tough for John to get those votes," Chambliss told reporters following his speech.

Chambliss, a loyal Bush ally who is running for re-election, said he told the president that that with his low approval ratings he should avoid alienating voters in agriculture-rich states in the South and the Midwest that have supported him.

White House officials have suggested Bush will veto the bill.

Chambliss, the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, defended the recently adopted bill from critics who said it is heavy on rich subsidies to wealthy farmers.

"That's ridiculous," Chambliss said. He said the bulk of the farm bill spending went to nutrition programs, like food stamps and school lunches. And he argued that individual farmers earning more than $750,000 a year don't qualify for federal aid, under the bill.

Chambliss was asked about the five-year $300 billion farm bill by reporters but he made no mention of it in his speech to the party faithful at the Columbus Civic Center for the kickoff of the state party's convention. Also missing from the speech: Any reference to President Bush.
Bush's dismal approval ratings have many election-bound Republicans steering clear.

Chambliss did talk up McCain and urged Georgians to unite behind the Arizona senator. Georgia went for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Feb. 5 primary. Huckabee drew strong support from independents and religious conservatives.

Chambliss made a case for his own re-election to a second-term by issuing a dire warning about what the nation will be like if Democrats win a handful of additional seats in the U.S. Senate. Under Senate rules, Republicans will lose the ability to block the Democrats' agenda.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the presidential elections.

(The Associated Press)

Voter drive misinformation alleged

A national voting rights group accused some Georgia counties of violating national laws by giving out false information to organizers of voter drives. Now the Georgia Secretary of State’s office has stepped-in to ensure registration runs legally.

The group Advancement Project works to protect voting rights for people in low-income and minority communities. Brad Heard is senior attorney for the group. He says they’ve received complaints from organizers of drives in Georgia:

"The information suggested anything from the fact you had to get a deputy registrar assigned to your drive and permission for the drive. In another case, registrars were saying it was a felony to conduct a voter registration drive without permission".

That in fact is not true. Two years ago, a federal consent order struck down these restrictions.

A letter sent by the voter watchdog group to Georgia elections officials mentions a handful of counties that it says was providing misleading information. One was Ware County--its elections supervisor is Betty Gillis:

"We did get a letter from them, but we’re in compliance so we’re good".

Some erroneous information was supposedly on county elections websites. One county did admit to wrong information on its 'frequently asked questions' page, which has since been corrected.

With this being a presidential election year, groups like Advancement Project are pushing to remove real and perceived barriers. Heard says they want to get as many people signed up to vote:

"We don’t want to discourage that process by the misperception that registering these folks is going to be an onerous process so that you have to jump through so many hoops at the county level before you’re authorized to do it".

State elections officials say in a statement they have contacted the counties in question, and are sending clarification letters to all local elections officials in Georgia’s 159 counties.

GOP convention comes to Columbus

Georgia's Republican Party convention meets this weekend in Columbus. Some 5,000 GOP faithful from across the state are expected to pack the Columbus Civic Center.

They'll pick half the state's delegates to the national convention, to be held this fall in St. Paul, Minnesota. And, convention-goers will choose two representatives to the Republican National committee.

Josh McKoon, who chairs the party's Muscogee County branch expects over 1,100 delegates to attend. And, he says, factional politics could provide some surprises:

"I think there will certainly be a move by those that support Ron Paul to get some of their supporters on the delegate list representing Georgia. I know that's happened on the local level at earlier stages of this process, so that potentially could be something that could cause a little bit of a stir."

But McKoon predicts a straightforward event, rallying behind presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain.

There is one stumbling block however.

McKoon says the elected delegates are pledged to former Arkansas governor and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee:

"...and unless he releases them from that, when they go to the convention, they'll be bound to vote for Huckabee on the first two ballots. Huckabee will have the lion's share of delegates coming out of Georgia..."

This is the second time in four years the event has been held in Columbus, and is expected to boost the local economy.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the presidential elections.

Election Day marks 101st birthday for Ga. man

As Americans flock to the polls for a historic Election Day, Ellis Joel Daniel of Snellville will make a bit of his own history.

The World War II veteran and former U.S. postman turns 101 on Tuesday, and he knows a thing or two about voting in presidential elections.

Daniel, who voted absentee a month ago, has cast ballots in every race since 1928.

In 1932, Daniel threw his support to Franklin Roosevelt. That support ended because he believed Roosevelt allowed the Russians to take control of eastern Europe after World War II.

Daniel grew up in the small town of Millen in east Georgia. He served 24 years in the Army Reserve and three years of active duty during World War II.

Daniel says despite Sen. Barack Obama's lead in the polls, he thinks Sen. John McCain will pull out a victory.

Click here for more GPB News elections coverage.

(AP)

Voter Guidelines for Upcoming Primaries

Secretary of State Karen Handel today reminded voters that the deadline to register to vote and be eligible to cast a ballot in the February 5 Presidential Preference Primary is Monday, January 7.

Here are the rules, according to a statement released by Handel's office:

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you wish to vote, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. You may not register to vote if you are currently serving any sentence imposed by the conviction of a felony or judicially determined to be mentally incompetent.

You can download and complete a voter registration application by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.georgia.gov/elections. You can also contact your local county registrars' office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools and other government offices for a mail-in registration form. Voter Registration is offered when renewing or applying for a driver's license at any Georgia Department of Driver Services office. College students can obtain Georgia voter registration forms from their school registrar's office or from the office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Georgia law requires registered voters to show photo identification when voting in person. This photo identification requirement applies in the February 5 Presidential Preference Primary and all future elections. When voting absentee by mail, photo identification is not required.

Voters casting ballots in person, either through early voting or on Election Day, will be required to show one of the following forms of acceptable photo ID when they vote:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport;
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
• Valid tribal photo ID.
  
  Voters who have questions are encouraged to call the Georgia Secretary of State’s Voter ID Hotline at (877) 725-9797 or visit www.GaPhotoID.com.
  
  Click here for more GPB News political coverage.
  

Obama campaigns in suburban Atlanta

Senator Barack Obama was in Georgia for a fundraiser and a town hall meeting to highlight his plans to spur the US economy.

A crowd of 2700 supporters greeted the Senator at a suburban Atlanta highschool before he launched into a speech about a failing US economy that is squeezing middle class America.

He laid out his plan to rebuild what he calls the American dream: working hard for a living wage with healthcare and retirement.

"That’s what we’re fighting for that’s the choice in this election and Georgia," he said. "If you stand up with me and vote for me I promise you we will not just win here in Georgia, we’ll win this gernal election."

While in Georgia, Obama also held a $2300 a plate fundraiser. The state has been staunchly Republican for the past three presidential elections. Analysts say it’s too early to tell whether Obama has a chance to carry Georgia.

Final debate for U.S. Senate Dem candidates

A final debate was held yesterday between the two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, ahead of next Tuesday’s primary runoff. DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones and former state lawmaker Jim Martin sparred over each other’s votes in recent presidential elections and the February primary. The two also questioned each other’s ability to challenge Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss in November. Tuesday’s Senate debate was hosted by GPB.

Chambliss, Martin rev up for runoff

Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis and Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin and at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender/file)

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin were in full campaign mode this weekend, trying to coax enough votes to prevail in a Dec. 2 runoff election.


Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis talking with reporters at a press conference held at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender/file)

Chambliss’ camp is preparing for a visit from former GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Martin is meeting with Cobb County Democrats and planned to visit a party phone bank operation in Decatur.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

With less than four weeks until they face voters again, neither campaign was waiting for Secretary of State Karen Handel to make it official when she certifies election results next week.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting throughout Georgia, neither Chambliss nor Martin accumulated enough ballots to pull above the needed 50 percent plus one of the vote. The Moultrie Republican is just short, with 49.8 percent. Martin, a former state lawmaker from Atlanta, has 46.8 percent. The race also included Libertarian Allen Buckley, who drew 3.4 percent.

Military and overseas ballots were among the last to be tallied by county officials. To be counted, they had to arrive by Friday.

The state’s most populous county had been set to certify its results Saturday. But a spokesman for Fulton County’s Board of Elections said problems with a faulty memory card delayed the effort.

Voters register to cast their ballot in advance voting at the Fulton Co. Government Center polling station in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender)

Fulton County Board of Elections spokesman Mark Henderson said the problem had been resolved but officials decided to audit the process before making the elections results official. The certification is now expected to take place Sunday or Monday, Henderson said.

Handel’s office has criticized Fulton County for being slow to count thousands of absentee ballots and her office is investigating. Henderson said county workers were exhausted after a marathon Election Day and were sent home for a few hours to rest.

The expected Chambliss-Martin contest is already drawing a national spotlight to Georgia.

The race is one of three unresolved Senate contests nationwide, along with Minnesota and Alaska. All involve Republican incumbents. If Democrats capture all three, it would give them a 60-seat majority in the Senate, a margin needed to block Republican filibusters.

Chambliss’ campaign said they’ve also been in touch with McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, about a possible Georgia visit.

McCain carried Georgia on Election Day by 52 percent to President-elect Barack Obama’s 47 percent.

Nonetheless, Martin has asked Obama to help out, but no word yet on whether he’ll stump for Martin.

Then President-elect Bill Clinton came to Georgia to campaign for Democratic Sen. Wyche Fowler in his 1992 runoff race. But even with the high-profile help, Fowler went on to lose to Republican Paul Coverdell in what was the last U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia.

Martin and Chambliss arguing a point during the GPBTV pre-election debate. At bottom is Libertarian candidate Allan Buckley. (Dave Bender/file)

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

Critics: Nov. elections prove photo ID law problematic

Georgia election officials announced nearly 60 people were forced to cast provisional ballots during November's local elections. That's because they lacked the required state issued photo identification. So far, less than 40 of the state's 159 counties have reported their November elections findings to state officials. Still, critics say they're wary of the law. Charlie Lester is spokesperson for Georgia Election Protection. "We're worried that people won't know the requirements, won't have gotten picture IDs. We're concerned about potentials for misinformation, actual voter fraud, telling people that democrats vote on Wednesday instead of on Tuesday." Georgia voters have until January 7th, 2008 to register for the February 5th Presidential primary.

Polls close as Georgia chooses

Polls closed across Georgia Tuesday as voters selected which Democrat will take on Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in November.

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones is facing off against former state lawmaker Jim Martin in what has been bitter three-week runoff race.

Both candidates predict the contest will hinge on turnout, which was sparse across the state.

Just 18 percent of registered voters made it to the polls in July's primary and elections officials say fewer than half of those voters were expected to return to the ballot box for the runoff.

The last U.S. Senate Democratic primary runoff, in 2004, posted 6 percent turnout.

Jones and Martin were the top vote getters in the five-man Democratic primary three weeks ago. Jones won 40 percent of the vote in that contest and Martin earned 34 percent.

The runoff race has featured a duel over voting histories.

Jones accused Martin of voting against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Martin voted for John Edwards in Georgia's Feb. 5 presidential primary even though the North Carolina Democrat had already withdrawn from the presidential race.

Martin has hammered Jones for voting twice for Republican George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.

Tuesday's winner will face an uphill climb against Chambliss, who has $4 million in his campaign warchest even after a massive media buy to blanket television airwaves statewide with his first re-election ad. The ad will debut after Tuesday's runoff.

Chambliss on Tuesday sent letters to both Jones and Martin saying he looks forward to debating whoever emerges as his opponent.

"After today's vote, the people of Georgia have a right to know what distinguishes their United States senator from the other candidates," Chambliss wrote. "A crucial part of that process for Georgians will be public debates."

He did not commit to specific debates.

Chambliss sent a similar letter to Libertarian Senate candidate Allen Buckley, also on the ballot in November.

Runoffs are also being held Tuesday night in six legislative races. Three of them are incumbents facing challengers.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

(The Associated Press)

GA Latino group seeks voters

The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials is ramping up an Hispanic voter-registration drive aimed at upcoming 2008 elections.

Jerry Gonzalez, GALEO executive director told reporters:

"We are actively registering voters from now until October 2008," said "We started it early because of municipal elections, plus the presidential primary in February."

GALEO estimates that there are some 70,000 Latino voters statewide, and another 20,000 who will reach voting age by the 2008 elections, according to a report appearing in the Gainesville Times.

GALEO homepage
GALEO English-language voter registration website: "It is the hour"

Photo voter I-D has smooth election run

State elections officials by late Tuesday had reported no problems with the use of photo voter identification in local elections across 100 Georgia counties. It was another test run for the law, which was in effect for local elections in 22 counties on September 18th. The biggest workout yet for voter ID is expected on February 5th for the state's presidential primary. Turnout for that date could be higher than that of the local race voting.

Obama supporting Barrow in state race

Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama is throwing his support behind Georgia congressman John Barrow in his race against a state lawmaker.

Experts say Obama’s support could prove crucial for Barrow, a white incumbent from Savannah, who is running against black legislator, state Sen. Regina Thomas.

Black voters are a solid majority in the 12th Congressional District, which includes large portions of Savannah and Augusta.

Obama will soon begin airing his first TV ad in the state since clinching his party’s nomination.

The spot, which will also run 17 other states is a biographical sketch called, “Country I Love.”

Georgia has voted heavily Republican in recent years. The GOP believes the state will give its 15 electoral votes to John McCain, the GOP nominee in waiting, in November.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the July 15th state race, and here for the presidential elections: http://gpbelectionnews.blogspot.com/

Bill Clinton coming to stump for Martin

Chambliss and Martin squared off, along with Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley, at a Georgia Public Television debate on the Sunday before the Nov. 4th elections. (Dave Bender)

Former President Bill Clinton will headline a rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin in Georgia.

Clinton is the first big name Democrat to stump for Martin in his Dec. 2 runoff battle with Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Republican U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss at a recent press conference at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender)

Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain lent his star power to a Chambliss rally Thursday and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will stump with Chambliss Sunday.

McCain claimed Georgia's electoral votes on Election Day and Huckabee won the state's Feb. 5 presidential primary.

Clinton won Georgia in his 1992 presidential bid, the last Democrat to carry the state in the race for the White House.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin during a recent press conference at his headquarters in Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

Martin said Saturday that Clinton - who balanced the budget - would underscore the failures of Republican leadership in Washington when it came to the economy.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

(AP)

Officials: few problems in final days of early voting

Muscogee Co. voters line up outside the main branch of the Columbus public library, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Voters throughout Georgia lined up under sunny skies on Friday and Saturday to cast a ballot on the final days of advance voting.


Voters patiently waited an average of 40 minutes to 1.5 hours to cast their ballots in one of the libraries' reading rooms, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender).

In Columbus, long, but fast moving lines greeted some 5,000 Muscogee County residents casting early ballots at the Columbus Library, according to election technician Tamika Booker:

“We’ve been having about 1,200 a day here at the library, as well as at one of our other voting sites. Two of our other ones have had a little bit less than that – maybe about 800.”

Jimmy Morris, a security guard at the Troup Co. Government Center assists voters waiting to cast their ballots, Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Further to the north, at the Troup County courthouse in Lagrange, Chief Registrar Donna Williams reports a similar turnout:

“It’s been a tremendous, great turnout. We’ve voted almost 13,000 people so far, and we’re steady going.”

Officials say that statewide, the longest wait times during the past week have averaged two to three hours.

In Coweta County, polls were open on Saturday from 9 to noon at the county administration building in downtown Newnan. Some 200 residents cast their ballot, according to the Associated Press.

Residents got a federal ok to hold Saturday voting there, in 1986.

State elections officials say over a thousand lawyers will oversee Tuesday’s voting. The attorneys will represent the parties, the state and federal government, special interests and voting rights groups.

Polls for the presidential election open across Georgia at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Click here for more GPB News elections coverage.

Sec'y of State's Office: runoff turnout a wildcard

Muscogee Co. voters waiting at the Columbus Public Library to cast their ballot in the previous round of early voting. (Dave Bender/file)

Early voting for the December 2nd runoff election began today in Fulton Co., a day after polling stations opened across much of Georgia.

Fulton had ballot counting issues in the November fourth elections. Counties must start early voting as soon as their ballots are printed, have until Wednesday to open stations.

Fulton Co. elections officials were unavailable for comment.

Voters are casting ballots for the U.S. Senate race, Georgia State Appeals Court and the Public Service Commission's District 4.

Matt Carrothers with the Secretary of State's office says it's tough to predict turnout numbers in this runoff:

“Historically, turnout is lower in a runoff election. However, this is a unique situation with being in both a presidential election year, and with a us senate race, two other statewide races – we could have higher than usual [turnout].”

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the state races.

Secretary of state revives voter photo requirement

Secretary of State Karen Handel plans to make voters show photo identification at the polls beginning with a special election in September.

"We are ready to begin education, outreach and training for the implementation of photo ID requirements for the September 18 special elections," Handel says.

Handel says the state can go forward because the Georgia Supreme Court has dismissed a case challenging the law. Her office is preparing letters to send to 1.15 million registered voters in the 27 counties holding a special election in September. Handel says only about 77,000 of those voters lack the proper identification, however.

But another case is still pending in federal court. Attorney Emmet Bondurant, who represents the plaintiffs, says Handel's efforts "are very likely to generate vast amounts of confusion--people being told they're going to have to get [photo ID], how to get it and all that sort of stuff when, in fact, the requirement that they obtain one at all is basically unconstitutional."

He says Handel "aspires to be our Katherine Harris," referring to the Florida secretary of state who supervised that state's 2000 presidential election, which ended in controversy over misread ballots and uncounted votes.

In response, Handel says she will not speculate on future decisions.

"I can only go with what the law is here and now in front of me, and the law today in front of me is that photo ID is in effect," she says.

Both sides say they want a speedy trial and a final decision on the issue, which has hung over Georgia elections for three years.

"It is imperative that we move to a final resolution in the Common Cause case so that the people of Georgia will know once and for all what to expect when they go to the polls to cast their vote," says Handel.

The suspended law would require voters to show one of six forms of government-issued photo identification at the polls. Supporters say the law would discourage voter fraud. Opponents say voter fraud is much more likely through absentee ballots, and the law would disproportionately affect registered voters who are poor or elderly.

Lewis urges N. Ga. Democrats to vote

Lewis making a strong point to the audience in his address at a rally held at the Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville, on September 23, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Democrats called on north Georgians to get out the presidential vote, at an afternoon rally held in Gainesville's Georgia Mountains Center.

Taking the stage, Fifth District Congressman John Lewis exhorted nearly 300 of the party faithful:

“As Democrats in this part of the State of Georgia, with other Democrats all across this state, we must get out and vote like we never, ever voted before – and elect Democrats. We can do it!”

Lewis, U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin, and several local Congressional candidates also addressed the crowd.

Martin said one of the rally's aims was to get the new candidates out in front of the public, and build a voter base in the region:

"Stand up for the people -- this is what this rally's has been about: Democrats from this part of the state and other people come to hear what Democratic candidates have to offer."

Abbot Hayes, an organizer at the event, says he had expected a turnout of about 1,000 people, although far fewer filled the floor seats when the event commenced after two p.m.

Sign on the stage. (Dave Bender)

All of the party officials say that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama can still win Georgia, despite recently moving numerous party activists to other hotly-contested states.

Georgia Republicans held a similar rally last weekend.

Click here for more GPB News elections coverage.