Georgia election: Democratic voters back health and transit spending

Atlanta: Voters pondered the ballots at Henry W. Grady High School in Atlanta on Tuesday May 22, 2018. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Atlanta: Voters pondered the ballots at Henry W. Grady High School in Atlanta on Tuesday May 22, 2018. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Voters in the Georgia Democratic Party primary election Tuesday showed overwhelming support for Medicaid expansion and substantial mass transit spending.

Democratic Party voters also backed banning bump stocks and creating an independent commission to redraw state legislative borders.

The four non-binding ballot questions gauged voters’ opinions for the Democratic Party to consider in future legislation.

Expanding Medicaid was the priority for voters in the Democratic primary, with 91 percent in favor of the idea.

Georgia is one of 18 states that hasn't expanded Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor and disabled. Democrats have said increasing access to Medicaid could help insure 600,000 Georgians.

The Republican Party didn’t put policy questions on its primary ballot.

Democratic Party ballot question results

  1. Should the sale and distribution of bump stocks be prohibited in the state of Georgia? 76% yes / 24% no
  2. Should Georgia pull down our federal tax dollars to save rural hospitals and create more than fifty thousand jobs by expanding Medicaid? 91% yes / 9% no
  3. Should Georgia allow voters to elect our own representatives by amending our Constitution to place the power of drawing district lines under the authority of an independent, non-partisan commission? 76% yes / 24% no
  4. Should Georgia alleviate traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and better connect communities by investing a substantial amount of existing tax dollars in mass transit? 85% yes / 15% no

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