Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new election law, adding to the multiple laws signed during the 2021 legislative session in response to concerns from both Democrats and Republicans about the voting processes in the state after the 2020 election. Georgia is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in November.
The bill signed by Kemp, SB189, focuses on improving the cleaning of voter rolls and introducing other changes. There have been over 40 bills introduced in Georgia’s state legislature targeting election law reform, but SB189 and one other have made the most significant modifications to the state’s laws since the backlash in 2020.
One of the most talked-about laws passed in recent years in Georgia is SB 202. This law has faced backlash from Democrats as it prohibits advocates from providing food, drinks, and gifts to voters in line. It also requires a state-issued ID when applying for absentee ballots and establishes procedures for early and mail-in voting. SB 202 was implemented during the 2022 elections, leading to high turnout for the midterm contests, which state officials considered a success.
President Biden criticized the legislation, referring to it as “Jim Crow in the 21st century,” and Major League Baseball moved its 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta in protest of the law. However, despite the backlash, MLB announced that the 2025 game would be held in Atlanta, even with SB 202 still in effect. Attempts by Biden’s administration and Democratic-aligned activist groups to challenge the law in court have been unsuccessful.
SB 189, signed into law by Kemp, brings significant changes to election laws ahead of the closely contested November elections. The bill outlines provisions for probable cause to determine if a voter should be removed from the rolls, including evidence of voting or registering elsewhere, using a nonresidential address, or indicating a primary residence elsewhere. It also allows for a voter’s eligibility to be challenged 45 days before an election.
Among the changes in SB 189 is the banning of QR codes on ballots starting on July 1, 2026, in state elections. The law also removes the state’s secretary of state from the state board of elections. Most of the changes in this bill will take effect on July 1, just months before the crucial November election where Biden and Trump will compete for Georgia’s 16 electoral votes.
