Georgia passes voting restrictions hours after Biden calls such bills 'un-American'
Georgia's state legislature on Thursday passed a new Republican-sponsored bill that restricts voting by mail and reforms elections in several ways in response to the 2020 elections, reports The Associated Press.
President Biden had sharp criticism for bills like these earlier on Thursday during his first press conference. Asked about a Democratic voting rights bill that would overhaul federal election laws and make it easier for more people to vote, Biden expressed worry that state-level voting restriction bills in Republican legislatures could deepen voter suppression in "despicable" ways.
"What I'm worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is. It's sick," he said. "Deciding in some states that you cannot bring water to people standing in line waiting to vote? Deciding that you're going to end voting at 5:00 when working people are just getting off work? Deciding that there will be no absentee ballots under the most rigid circumstances? ... The Republican voters I know find this despicable."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Georgia's legislation is part of a larger "Republican war on voting," The New Yorker says, outlining the 253 restrictive bills under consideration in 43 states this year, and noting that Arizona and Georgia are two of the states with the largest number of vote-limiting bills. Georgia's new law will require a photo ID to vote absentee by mail, cut the time period voters have to request an absentee ballot and limit where ballot drop boxes can be placed and when they can be accessed, AP reports.
Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp (R) took issue with Biden's "un-American" comment after the press conference, and argued Biden must simply not fully understand Georgia's voting bill. Kemp is expected to sign the newly passed bill into law shortly. Summer Meza
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June



