Macon Magazine

16 maconmagazine.com | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 CHANGES TO VOTING IN GEORGIA The right to vote is essential to the democratic process. That right has been evolving for those eligible in our American society. For example, in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave white women the right to vote, after decades of activism and numerous barriers. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that women of color and all citizens were granted this right. The Georgia Legislature recently enacted the Voter Integrity Act of 2021. This act represents a massive overhaul of the election rules in Georgia. Because voter awareness and education are essential to the democratic process, several non- partisan women's groups have come together and made a commitment to inform and educate Central Georgians of the top 10 changes in preparation for upcoming elections. 1. Identification is now required not just for in-person voting, but also for mail-in voting. The new law requires those requesting and returning ballots by mail to also submit a driver's license number, a state ID number, the last four digits of their Social Security number or a photocopy of a different form of identification that is approved by the Secretary of State's office. 2. Drop boxes must be located inside the Board of Elections office or inside a voting location and are only accessible during early voting hours. They are no longer available at all times, and there can only be one drop box for every 100,000 voters in a county. 3. The timeline for requesting and returning ballots also has shortened from 180 days before an election to 78 days before an election. Ballot applications must be received by the clerk no later than 11 days prior to the election. 4. To prevent confusion, third parties can still send out ballot request forms, but the front of those forms must be marked: "This is NOT an official government publication and was NOT provided to you by any governmental entity and this is NOT a ballot." 5. Food and drink distribution to voters in line by non-poll workers is banned, but "self-service" water stands are allowed, which must be 150 feet from a polling place or 25 feet from voters standing in line. 6. Voters cannot cast a provisional ballot in the wrong precinct unless the voter arrives after 5 p.m. and is unable to reach the correct precinct before polls close. 7. The new law enables election workers to start processing, but not tabulating or reporting, absentee ballots 15 days before Election Day. County officials will be allowed to start tabulating absentee ballots after 7 a.m. 8. The law allows a voter to make unlimited challenges to another voter's qualifications to cast a ballot. The voter would then have to prove eligibility. Allowing voters to make unlimited challenges may bog down election officials and could make it difficult for voters to prove they are eligible when they may have done nothing wrong. 9. The runoff period has been reduced from nine weeks after the general election to 28 days after the election and only requires early voting to be held Monday through Friday. Because of the shorter period before a runoff election, military and overseas voters will have ranked-choice voting on their general election or primary ballots. Additionally, a new Georgia voter must register 29 days before the election, thus eliminating any new voter to participate in a runoff. 10. In addition to defining who can handle mail-in ballots, the new law includes that only the same defined individuals can handle absentee ballot requests. A violation of this provision is considered a misdemeanor. More information can be found at the Secretary of State's website sos.ga.gov or by contacting your local Board of Elections. » Alpha Rho Chapter of Lambda Kappa Alpha My Sorority Inc., » Macon Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. » The Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, (Middle Georgia Chapter) Georgia AKA Connection Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand With Us) Letters to the Editor » Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Macon Chapter » Macon (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated » League of Women Voters of Macon » The Macon Conference Women's Missionary Society » Macon Magazine » #Middle Georgia Votes » Order of the Eastern Star, PHA » The People's Advocacy Group, Inc. » Women of Unity, Macon "Your article about Coach Candice Roberson was deserved recognition for her leadership, but Raynette Evans was the first female athletic director of Bibb County School District. She served in that position the entire length of my three terms as a Bibb School Board member. This is in no way an attempt to diminish Coach Roberson's elevation to Bibb AD, but simply an attempt to correct the record. In addition, your article profiling my friend Boo McKelvey was great to see. He and his wife, Rebeca, are longtime friends and worthy of your recognition. I enjoy your magazine and look forward to reading it each month." — GARY BECHTEL Editor's Note: Raynette Evans was appointed Director of Athletics, Health and Physical Education for the Bibb County School District in 1988 and held the position until her retirement in 2011. During her tenure, she was responsible for overseeing all athletics and health education operations for the Bibb County School District. Candice Roberson at Westside High School is the first female school-level Athletic Director in the Bibb County School District. SEND US YOUR LETTERS! We want to feature them in the December/January issue. E-mail us at hello@maconmagazine.com. JOIN THE CONVERSATION! 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