Politics
Politics

Final vote criminalizes donations to local Georgia election offices

Bill bans nonprofit money for election operations
Sen. Max Burns, R - Sylvania, speaks in favor of SB 222 as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones quiets the Senate Chambers during the debate on day 40 of the legislative session at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. SB 222 makes it a felony for county election offices to receive money from nonprofit organizations following Republican complaints that Democratic areas received more donations. Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Sen. Max Burns, R - Sylvania, speaks in favor of SB 222 as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones quiets the Senate Chambers during the debate on day 40 of the legislative session at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. SB 222 makes it a felony for county election offices to receive money from nonprofit organizations following Republican complaints that Democratic areas received more donations. Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com)
By Mark Niesse
March 29, 2023

Outside funding for elections will soon be banned when Gov. Brian Kemp signs a bill that passed the General Assembly on Wednesday.

A party-line vote in the state Senate gave final approval to Senate Bill 222, which makes it a felony for county election offices to receive outside money for elections operations.

Sen. Max Burns, R - Sylvania, speaks in favor of SB 222 as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones quiets the Senate Chambers during the debate on day 40 of the legislative session at the State Capitol on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. SB 222 makes it a felony for county election offices to receive money from nonprofit organizations following Republican complaints that Democratic areas received more donations. Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

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Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Republican critics of the nonprofit money called it “Zuckerbucks” after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated millions of dollars for elections in 2020.

The limitation on non-governmental funding became a partisan issue after DeKalb County received a $2 million grant in February, and after about $45 million flowed to dozens of Georgia counties in the 2020 election year.

- Full coverage: Ban on outside elections money passes Georgia General Assembly

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.

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