Bill Cutting Early Voting Days Clears House Committee
A bill that would shorten Georgia’s early voting period cleared a state House committee Wednesday.
The bill would reduce the number of early voting days from 21 to 12. Initially, it also mandated Sunday voting, but lawmakers revised the bill to keep it optional.
The vote fell along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, noted huge swaths of Georgians take advantage of early voting.
“If we found something voters like, why are we taking it away from them?” said Oliver.
Bill sponsor Mark Hamilton, R-Cumming, said it’s about lowering costs.
“It’s not like they don’t have plenty of opportunities to exercise their ability to vote,” he said.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 32 states allow early voting, with an average length of time of 19 days.
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