Politics
Politics

Voter registration security bill signed into Georgia law

The precinct manager at Hamilton Mill Christian Church in Buford said the polling place had been getting a steady stream of about 40 voters per hour on March 19, 2019. The only item on the ballot was the MARTA referendum. Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

The precinct manager at Hamilton Mill Christian Church in Buford said the polling place had been getting a steady stream of about 40 voters per hour on March 19, 2019. The only item on the ballot was the MARTA referendum. Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com
By Mark Niesse
April 30, 2019

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill Monday requiring election officials to strengthen security of voter registration records.

The legislation comes after some Georgians who had voted in previous elections were told last fall that they were no longer registered to vote. It's unknown why their registrations disappeared.

House Bill 392 calls for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to create security protocols for voter registration information that follow recommendations of national cybersecurity and election organizations.

The bill passed the Georgia General Assembly after the government accountability group Common Cause Georgia filed a lawsuit over voter registration problems.

“On Election Day, we fielded too many calls from voters who had cast ballots in previous elections but were suddenly told that they were no longer in the system,” said Sara Henderson, executive director for Common Cause Georgia. “We will closely monitor the state's compliance with this new statutory requirement.”

About the Author

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

Follow Mark Niesse on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Georgia Lt. Gov. Lester Maddox, angry about an article, burns a copy of The Atlanta Constitution in the state Senate on March 10, 1971, saying the paper did not have the "guts, integrity, manhood or decency" to report the situation accurately. (AJC file)

Credit: AP FILE

‘Fish wrapper’: The AJC’s complicated relationship with Georgia’s political class

How generations of Georgia leaders battled, berated and depended on the AJC.

A viral confrontation and a sudden resignation shake up Georgia GOP

The man behind the vigilante sting operation that apparently netted a teenage GOP official says he has no regrets.

Groups tied to First Liberty accused of campaign finance violations

Two Republican groups linked to the defunct First Liberty Building & Loan likely sought to illegally influence Georgia elections, the State Ethics Commission charged Thursday.

The Latest

Ja’Quon Stembridge, shown here in July at the Henry County Republican Party monthly meeting, recently stepped from his position with the Georgia GOP. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

A viral confrontation and a sudden resignation shake up Georgia GOP

‘Fish wrapper’: The AJC’s complicated relationship with Georgia’s political class

Groups tied to First Liberty accused of campaign finance violations

Featured

Ja’Quon Stembridge, shown here in July at the Henry County Republican Party monthly meeting, recently stepped from his position with the Georgia GOP. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

A viral confrontation and a sudden resignation shake up Georgia GOP

The man behind the vigilante sting operation that apparently netted a teenage GOP official says he has no regrets.

Why the Atlanta school board voted to close and repurpose some schools

Sixteen schools will be repurposed under the APS Forward 2040 plan as enrollment falls and the district seeks better resources for students.

Small-town Georgia DA brings almost as many RICO cases as Fulton’s Fani Willis

Griffin Judicial Circuit has brought 13 RICO indictments since June 2020.