Some praise new voter registration law, others say it’s tantamount to discrimation

A new law in Georgia requiring proof of citizenship before a person can register to vote is winning praise from some and criticism from others.  Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel supports the change “I want to thank Governor Perdue for signing this common sense legislation that will further strengthen the integrity and confidence in our elections by ensuring that only U.S. citizens are able to register and vote,“ Secretary Handel is quoted as saying in a press release on her website.

Senate Bill 86,  requires those registering to vote after January 1, 2010 to submit a copy of one of several forms of proof of U.S. citizenship with their application. These include a driver’s license, birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. naturalization documents or Bureau of Indian Affairs card. Any person who registered to vote prior to January 1, 2010 will not be required to submit evidence of citizenship.

Secretary of State spokesman Matt Carrothers tells me the new law was modeled after one in Arizona.  Georgia’s law must receive a “preclearance” from the the U.S. Department of Justice before it can be implemented.  “Our law is modeled after Arizona’s law however and Arizona received the preclearance,“ says Carrothers.

Carrothers says the change will ensure the integrity of elections. “There’s no acceptable threshold for voter fraud,“ he says.

In Savannah, state representative Mickey Stephens (democrat from Savannah) disagrees with the whole thing.  He voted against the law and believes it goes back to the days in the South when there was discrimination against those trying to register to vote.  “I had to read the constitution and answer questions years ago before I was trying to register,“ he tells me.  “There is no proof of any real voter fraud in this state and this law is just taking us back to a place I don’t think we should be going.“ 

State representative Bob Bryant (democrat from Garden City) says he has no problem with someone proving they are a citizen.  “I think you should have to prove you are a citizen of the United States of America, period,“ he told me.  “I grew up during segregation but I don’t think this should deter people from registering.“