Rather than reducing number of votes cast, GOP should broaden its appeal

Traditionally, politicians always encouraged us to get out and vote. Now, however, as our beloved Legislature convenes, the Republicans seem hell-bent on passing legislation to make it more difficult to use absentee voting. The rationale being given is that this would reduce illegal ballots from being cast, though there is neither proof of, nor truth in, the allegations of illegal ballots being cast. But truth and proof be damned; the Republicans believe it is more likely they will not win when more votes are cast. Hence, lower the number of votes by any means necessary. Instead of trying to reduce the number of votes, instead of listening to the patent medicine salesmen on talk radio whose stock in trade is outrage and fear, Republicans should spend more time trying to broaden their appeal.

JOE KELLY, JOHNS CREEK

Don’t mess up healthcare signup website that now works well

On Monday, Jan. 11, the website for Cobb County seniors to apply for COVID-19 vaccinations quickly crashed “due to an overwhelming response.” Your paper has reported similar issues in DeKalb. This reminds me how idiotic it is for Gov. Kemp to plan to take Georgia off the healthcare.gov site in a couple of years and direct Georgians to some new state site to seek individual coverage. Does anyone think that will go smoothly? (Probably about as well as the new state voting machines did back in the primaries.) It was well documented that healthcare.gov went through horrific start-up issues its first year, but those were overcome, and it now works efficiently. So why mess things up?

RICK ZABELL, MARIETTA

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

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