The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 19, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
A bipartisan effort in 2005 implemented no-excuse absentee voting in Georgia, and in 19 years, there have been only six convictions of absentee voter fraud. Despite that tiny number, the state’s election board had to fend off yet another attempt to end no-excuse absentee voting.
A GOP-appointed member of the board proposed that the election board recommend ending the no-excuse provision to the Georgia Assembly. The Georgia Recorder reports Janice Johnston proposed allowing absentee voting ONLY for the elderly, disabled and active duty military. But another Republican member and former legislator who supported the original 2005 no-excuse rule, said there was no evidence of systemic fraud, and no need to roll back the rule. The motion was defeated 3-2.
In 2020, 1.3 million Georgia voters used absentee ballots, out of the 5 million votes cast. After the 2020 election, one Georgia man was convicted of forging a signature on an absentee ballot, according to the conservative Heritage Foundation. The Georgia Election Board referred another 35 people for other non-mail election violations, with no convictions.
Twenty-eight states allow no-excuse mail-in voting, distributing over 250 million mail ballots since 2000, and convictions of vote-by-mail fraud measure in the dozens. There ARE, however, 18 people facing fraud and racketeering charges in Georgia for attempting to interfere with the 2020 election, including former President Donald Trump.
We have articles and research linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Georgia Secretary of State – 3rd Strike Against Voter Fraud Claims Means They’re Out After Signature Audit Finds No Fraud
Georgia Recorder – (2020) State lawmakers push changes after absentee ballots key in 2020 election
BallotPedia – Overview – Absentee/mail-in ballot vote fraud
Associated Press – State GOP-backed ‘election integrity’ units find few voter fraud cases after midterms
Georgia Recorder – No excuse absentee voting in Georgia survives a state election board vote to end it
Heritage Foundation – Election Fraud Cases in Georgia
Brennan Center for Justice – The Myth of Voter Fraud
National Conference of State Legislatures – States with No-Excuse Absentee Voting
Groups Taking Action:
Campaign Legal Center, ACLU, Lawyers Democracy Fund
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